Calorific Value of Fuels

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 0^oC 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

• 1 kJ/kg = 1 J/g = 0.4299 Btu/ lb_m = 0.23884 kcal/kg
• 1 Btu/lb_m = 2.326 kJ/kg = 0.55 kcal/kg
• 1 kcal/kg = 4.1868 kJ/kg = 1.8 Btu/lb_m
• 1 dm³ (Liter) = 10^-3 m³ = 0.03532 ft³ = 1.308x10^-3 yd³ = 0.220 Imp gal (UK) = 0.2642 Gallons (US)