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MODULE 1 API and Baumé Gravity Units

FUELS

Fuel is any substance, natural or artificial that will burn. o 141 .5

API = −131. 5
SG @60 ° F
CLASSIFICATION OF FUELS

1. Solid Fuels such as coal (peat, lignite, bituminous,

anthracite), dendro-thermal like (wood,
bagasse, coconut shell, ipil-ipil) and bio- o 141 .5
API = −131 . 5
mass (garbage) SG @° 15 . 6 C
2. Liquid Fuels such as crude petroleum and distillates
(gasoline, diesoline, kerosene, alcohol, o
API = degree American Petroleum Institute
bunker, alcogas and methanol)

3. Gaseous Fuels such as natural gas derivatives (propane,

methane, ethane, etc.), artificial gas, o 140
producer’s gas, liquefied petroleum gas, Bé = −130
and bio-gas SG@60 ° F

4. Atomic fuels such as natural uranium, thorium and

artificially produced fuel like plutonium. 140
o
Bé = −130
PROPERTIES OF FUELS SG15 .6 ° C as “boh-mey”)
°Bé = degree Baumé (pronounced

1. Specific Gravity is the ratio of the density (or specific Specific Gravity at Temperature t:
weight) of the fuel to the density (or specific weight) of
water (or air).
SG @ t =SG@ 15 . 6 ° C ( Correction Factor )
ρliquid fuel
SG liquid fuel =
ρwater SG@t =SG@15 .6 ° C [ 1−0 . 0007(t−15 . 6) ]

t = temperature in °C
ρ gaseous fuel
SG gaseous fuel=
ρ air SG @ t =SG @60 ° F ( Correction Factor )

ρ = density SG @t =SG@60 ° F [ 1−0. 0004 ( t−60 ) ]

Hydrometer is the simplest method of determining the
specific gravity of liquid fuel. The scales are marked as t = temperature in °F
°API, °Baume or specific gravity.

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2. Heating Value or Calorific Value is the amount of
energy in every mass of fuel.
Higher Heating Value or Gross Calorific Value is the
heating value of the fuel obtained when the water in
the product of combustion is in liquid state.
C, H, O, S = ultimate (volumetric) analysis of carbon
actually burned, hydrogen, oxygen and sulfur in the fuel,
respectively
Heating Value of Fuel (given the chemical formula)

Lower Heating Value or Net Calorific Value is the

Ql=Q h−9 H 2 ( 2442 ) BTU/lb
heating value of the fuel obtained when the water in
the product of combustion is in vapor state.
Lower Heating Value of Fuel:
Heating Value of Liquid and Gaseous Fuels

ASME Formula:
Ql=Q h−9 H 2 ( 2442 )
kJ/kg

Qh =17680+60 ( o API ) BTU/lb where:

H 2 =26−15 ( SG )

H2 = percent hydrogen
Qh =41130+139 . 6 ( o API ) kJ/kg

Bureau of Standards Formula:
2
Qh =22230−3680 ( SG ) BTU/lb
2
Qh =51716−8793 ( SG )
Note:
1. The heating values of fuel oils are 40,700 to 46,500
kJ/kg (17,500 to 20,000 Btu/lb)
2. The hydrogen content of fuel is 11% to 15% by weight
3. Two elements which compose most commercial fuels are
carbon and hydrogen.
kJ/kg

Heating Value of Solid Fuels

Dulong’s Formula:

Qh =14600(C )+62000 H − ( O
8 )
+ 4050 ( S )
BTU/lb

Qh = heating value of fuel in BTU/lb

Qh =33820 ( C ) +144212 H − ( O
8 )
+9304 ( S )

Qh = heating value of fuel in kJ/kg