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 1013 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
|
Btu/lb
|
kJ/kg
| |
Acetone
|
29000
| ||
Alcohol 96%
|
30000
| ||
Anthracite
|
32500 - 34000
|
14000 - 14500
| |
Bituminous coal
|
17000 - 23250
|
7300 - 10000
| |
Butane
|
49510
|
20900
|
45750
|
Carbon
|
34080
| ||
Charcoal
|
29600
|
12800
| |
Coal (Lignite - Anthrasite)
|
15000 - 27000
|
8000 - 14000
| |
Coke
|
28000 - 31000
|
12000 - 13500
| |
Diesel fuel
|
44800
|
19300
|
43400
|
Ethane
|
51900
|
47800
| |
Ethanol
|
29700
|
12800
| |
Ether
|
43000
| ||
Gasoline
|
47300
|
20400
|
44400
|
Glycerin
|
19000
| ||
Hydrogen
|
141790
|
61000
|
121000
|
Kerosene
|
46200
|
43000
| |
Lignite
|
16300
|
7000
| |
Methane
|
55530
|
50000
| |
Methanol
|
23000
| ||
Oil, heavy fuel
|
43000
| ||
Oil, light distillate
|
48000
| ||
Oil, light fuel
|
44000
| ||
Oils vegetable
|
39000 - 48000
| ||
Paraffin
|
46000
|
41500
| |
Peat
|
13800 - 20500
|
5500 - 8800
| |
Pentane
|
45350
| ||
Petrol
|
48000
| ||
Petroleum
|
43000
| ||
Propane
|
50350
|
46350
| |
Semi anthracite
|
26700 - 32500
|
11500 - 14000
| |
Sulfur
|
9200
| ||
Tar
|
36000
| ||
Turpentine
|
44000
| ||
Wood (dry)
|
14400 - 17400
|
6200 - 7500
| |
kJ/m3
|
Btu/ft3
| ||
Acetylene
|
56000
| ||
Butane C4H10
|
133000
|
3200
| |
Hydrogen
|
13000
| ||
Natural gas
|
43000
|
950 - 1150
| |
Methane CH4
|
39820
| ||
Propane C3H8
|
101000
|
2550
| |
Town gas
|
18000
| ||
kJ/l
|
Btu/Imp gal
| ||
Gas oil
|
38000
|
164000
| |
Heavy fuel oil
|
41200
|
177000
| |
Kerosene
|
35000
|
154000
| |
- 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)
