Saturday 14 September 2013

Fuels - Higher Calorific Values

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
FuelHigher Calorific Value
(Gross Calorific Value - GCV)
Lower Calorific Value
(Net Calorific Value - NCV)
kJ/kg Btu/lb kJ/kg
Acetone 29,000

Alcohol, 96% 30,000

Anthracite 32,500 - 34,000 14,000 - 14,500
Bituminous coal 17,000 - 23,250 7,300 - 10,000
Butane 49,510 20,900 45,750
Carbon 34,080

Charcoal 29,600 12,800
Coal (Lignite - Anthrasite) 15,000 - 27,000 8,000 - 14,000
Coke 28,000 - 31,000 12,000 - 13,500
Diesel 44,800 19,300 43,400
Ethane 51,900
47,800
Ethanol 29,700 12,800
Ether 43,000

Gasoline 47,300 20,400 44,400
Glycerin 19,000

Hydrogen 141,790 61,000 121,000
Kerosene 46,200
43,000
Lignite 16,300 7,000
Methane 55,530 50,000
Oils, vegetable 39,000 - 48,000

Paraffin 46,000
41,500
Peat 13,800 - 20,500 5,500 - 8,800
Pentane

45,350
Petrol 48,000

Petroleum 43,000

Propane 50,350 46,350
Semi anthracite 26,700 - 32,500 11,500 - 14,000
Sulfur 9,200

Tar 36,000

Turpentine 44,000

Wood (dry) 14,400 - 17,400 6,200 - 7,500

kJ/m3 Btu/ft3
Acetylene 56,000

Butane C4H10 133,000 3200
Hydrogen 13,000

Natural gas 43,000 950 - 1150
Methane CH4 39,820
Propane C3H8 101,000 2550
Town gas 18,000


kJ/l Btu/Imp gal
Gas oil 38,000 164,000
Heavy fuel oil 41,200 177,000
Kerosene 35,000 154,000
  • 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)

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