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
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)

Search the Engineering ToolBox

Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Edition - Online 3D modeling!

3D Engineering ToolBox - draw and model technical applications

Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Edition - enabled for use with the amazing, fun and free Google SketchUp

Translate the Engineering ToolBox
About the EngineeringToolbox