Fuels - Higher Calorific Values

Higher calorific values for some common fuels - coke, oil, wood, hydrogen and others The calorific value of a fuel is the quantity of heat produced by its combustion - at constant pressure and under "normal" ("standard") conditions (i.e. to 0oC and under a pressure of 1,013 mbar). The combustion process generates water vapor and certain techniques may be used to recover the quantity of heat contained in this water vapor by condensing it.

Higher Calorific Value (or Gross Calorific Value - GCV, or Higher Heating Value - HHV) - the water of combustion is entirely condensed and that the heat contained in the water vapor is recovered Lower Calorific Value (or Net Calorific Value - NCV, or Lower Heating Value - LHV) - the products of combustion contains the water vapor and that the heat in the water vapor is not recovered

Fuel

Higher Calorific Value (Gross Calorific Value - GCV)

Lower Calorific Value (Net Calorific Value NCV)

kJ/kg
Acetone Alcohol, 96% Anthracite Bituminous coal Butane Carbon Charcoal Coal (Lignite - Anthrasite) Coke Diesel Ethane 29,000 30,000 32,500 - 34,000 17,000 - 23,250 49,510 34,080 29,600 15,000 - 27,000 28,000 - 31,000 44,800 51,900

Btu/lb

kJ/kg

14,000 - 14,500 7,300 - 10,000 20,900 45,750

12,800 8,000 - 14,000 12,000 - 13,500 19,300 43,400 47,800

Ethanol Ether Gasoline Glycerin Hydrogen Kerosene Lignite Methane Oils, vegetable Paraffin Peat Pentane Petrol Petroleum Propane Semi anthracite Sulfur Tar Turpentine

29,700 43,000 47,300 19,000 141,790 46,200 16,300 55,530 39,000 - 48,000 46,000 13,800 - 20,500

12,800

20,400

44,400

61,000

121,000 43,000

7,000 50,000

41,500 5,500 - 8,800 45,350

48,000 43,000 50,350 26,700 - 32,500 9,200 36,000 44,000 11,500 - 14,000 46,350

Wood (dry)

14,400 - 17,400 kJ/m3

6,200 - 7,500 Btu/ft3

Acetylene Butane C4H10 Hydrogen Natural gas Methane CH4 Propane C3H8 Town gas

56,000 133,000 13,000 43,000 39,820 101,000 18,000 kJ/l Btu/Imp gal 164,000 177,000 154,000 2550 950 - 1150 3200

Gas oil Heavy fuel oil Kerosene

38,000 41,200 35,000

1 kJ/kg = 1 J/g = 0.4299 Btu/ lbm = 0.23884 kcal/kg 1 Btu/lbm = 2.326 kJ/kg = 0.55 kcal/kg 1 kcal/kg = 4.1868 kJ/kg = 1.8 Btu/lbm 1 dm3 (Liter) = 10-3 m3 = 0.03532 ft3 = 1.308x10-3 yd3 = 0.220 Imp gal (UK) = 0.2642 Gallons (US) 1 kilogram joule = 0.239005736 kilograms calorie