Go to tabulated values
Standard heat of combustion : The energy liberated when a substance X undergoes complete combustion, with excess of oxygen at standard conditions (25°C and 1 bar). In thermodynamical terms it is the negative of the enthalpy change for the combustion reaction.
n X + m O2→ x CO2(g) + y H2O (l) + z Z + heat of combustion
where Z is any other products formed during the reaction and n, m, x, y and z are the number of moles of each molecule in the balanced equation.
The heat of combustion is utilised to quantify the performance of a fuel in a combustion system such as furnaces, motors and power generation turbines. It is the same as the gross heating value or energy content.
Generally, the heat of combustion can be expressed as the following:
ΔHc ° = - x ΔHf °(CO2,g) - y ΔHf °(H2O,l) - z ΔHf °(Z) + n ΔHf °(X) + m ΔHf °(O2,g)
where ΔHc ° : heat of combustion at standard conditions (25°C and 1 bar)
ΔHf ° : heat (enthalpy) of formation at standard conditions (25°C, 1 bar)
Then, the heat of combustion can be calculated from the standard enthalpy of formation (ΔHf °) of the substances involved in the reaction, given as tabulated values.
See Thermodyamics key values internationally agreed, Standard state and enthalpy of formation, Gibbs free energy of formation, entropy and heat capacity and Standard enthalpy of formation, Gibbs energy of formation, entropy and molar heat capacity of organic substances
For compounds containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen (as many organic compounds do), a general combustion reaction equation will be:
Ca Hb Oc + (a + ¼b - ½c) O2→ aCO2(g) + ½bH2O (l) + heat of combustion
and the heat of combustion can be calculated from the standard heat of formation of all compounds taking part in the reaction:
ΔHc ° = -a ΔHf °(CO2,g) - ½b ΔHf °(H2O,l) + ΔHf °(Ca Hb Oc ) + (a + ¼b - ½c) ΔHf °(O2,g) = -a(- 393.51) - ½b(-285.830) + ΔHf °(Ca Hb Oc ) + (a + ¼b - ½c)*0
= a(393.51) + b(142.915) + ΔHf °(Ca Hb Oc )
Example:
What is the heat of comustion of liquid ethanol, with the formula C2H5 OH (=C2H6 O)?
For ethanol, the constants a, b and c are 2, 6 and 1, respectively, and the chemical equation for the combustion of ethanol:
C2H6 O(l) + 3O2(g) → 2CO2(g)+ 3H2O(l)
The standard heat of formation of liquid ethanol, ΔHf °(C2H6 O, l), is -277.6 kJ/mol.
The heat of combustion of ethanol, ΔHc °(C2H6 O, l) = 2*393.51 + 6*142.915 + (-277.6) = 1366.91 kJ/mol. This can be converted to kJ per mass units:
The molweight of ethanol is (2*12.01 + 6*1.01 + 1*16.00) = 46.08 g/mol
The heat of combustion of ethanol, ΔHc °(C2H6 O, l) = 1366.91(kJ/mol) ×1000(g/kg) / 48.08 (g/mol) = 29664 kJ/kg ethanol = 29.7 MJ/kg = 12754 BTU/lb = 7086 kcal/kg
The table below shows values of heat of combustion calculated after the above described method. For substances containing nitrogen, it is assumed that the nitrogen atoms ends up as N2gas with ΔHf °(N2) = 0 kJ/mol. In such cases the general equation applies to also these substances. If it is known that other substances is formed in the cumbustion reactions, the exact products must be known to be able to calculate the heat of combustion.
Conversion to other units.
See also Fuel Gases Heating Values and Fossil Fuels - Energy Content.
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Standard Heat of Combustion
Name | Formula | State* | ΔHc ° kJ/mol | ΔHc ° kJ/g or MJ/kg | ΔHc ° kJ/kg | ΔHc ° BTU/lb | ΔHc ° kcal/kg |
Acetaldehyde |
C2H4 O |
liq |
1167 |
26.49 |
26487 |
11387 |
6326 |
Acetamide |
C2H5 NO |
cry |
1185 |
20.06 |
20058 |
8623 |
4791 |
Acetic acid |
C2H4 O2 |
liq |
874 |
14.55 |
14552 |
6256 |
3476 |
Acetone |
C3 H6 O |
liq |
1790 |
30.81 |
30814 |
13248 |
7360 |
Acetonitrile |
C2H3 N |
liq |
1256 |
30.59 |
30589 |
13151 |
7306 |
Acetylene (ethyne) |
C2H2 |
gas |
1300 |
49.92 |
49923 |
21463 |
11924 |
l-Alanine |
C3 H7 NO2 |
cry |
1577 |
17.70 |
17697 |
7608 |
4227 |
Ammonia |
NH3 |
gas |
383 |
22.48 |
22477 |
9663 |
5369 |
Aniline |
C6 H7 N |
liq |
3393 |
36.43 |
36429 |
15662 |
8701 |
Anthracene |
C14 H10 |
cry |
7068 |
39.65 |
39654 |
17048 |
9471 |
Benzene |
C6 H6 |
liq |
3268 |
41.83 |
41833 |
17985 |
9992 |
Benzoic acid |
C7 H6 O2 |
cry |
3228.2 |
26.43 |
26432 |
11364 |
6313 |
1,3-Butadiene |
C4 H6 |
gas |
2542 |
46.99 |
46987 |
20201 |
11223 |
Butane |
C4 H10 |
gas |
2878 |
49.50 |
49501 |
21282 |
11823 |
1-Butanol |
C4 H10 |
liq |
2676 |
36.09 |
36092 |
15517 |
8621 |
2-Butanone |
C4 H8 O |
liq |
2444 |
33.89 |
33888 |
14569 |
8094 |
1-Butene |
C4 H8 |
gas |
2718 |
48.43 |
48432 |
20822 |
11568 |
cis-2 Butene |
C4 H8 |
gas |
2710 |
48.29 |
48289 |
20761 |
11534 |
trans-2-Butene |
C4 H8 |
gas |
2706 |
48.22 |
48218 |
20730 |
11517 |
Butanoic acid |
C4 H8 O2 |
liq |
2183.6 |
38.91 |
38909 |
16728 |
9293 |
Butylbenzene |
C10 H14 |
liq |
5872.7 |
43.8 |
43754 |
18810 |
24994 |
Carbon (graphite) |
C |
cry |
394 |
32.81 |
32806 |
14104 |
7836 |
Carbon monoxide |
CO |
gas |
283 |
10.10 |
10104 |
4344 |
2413 |
Cyclobutane |
C4 H8 |
gas |
2745.1 |
48.91 |
48914 |
21029 |
11683 |
Cyclobutene |
C4 H6 |
gas |
2588 |
47.84 |
47837 |
20566 |
11426 |
Cyclohexane |
C6 H12 |
liq |
3920 |
46.57 |
46567 |
20020 |
11122 |
Cyclopentane |
C5 H10 |
liq |
3291.6 |
46.92 |
46922 |
20173 |
11207 |
Cyclopropane |
C3 H6 |
gas |
2091 |
49.68 |
49679 |
21358 |
11866 |
Decane |
C10 H22 |
liq |
6778 |
47.63 |
47625 |
20475 |
11375 |
Diethyl ether (ethoxyethane) |
C4 H10 O |
liq |
2724 |
36.74 |
36741 |
15796 |
8775 |
Dimethyl ether (methoxymethane) |
C2H6 O |
gas |
1460 |
31.68 |
31684 |
13622 |
7568 |
Ethane |
C2H6 |
gas |
1561 |
51.89 |
51895 |
22311 |
12395 |
1,2-Ethanediol |
C2H6 O2 |
liq |
1185 |
19.09 |
19088 |
8206 |
4559 |
Ethanol |
C2H6 O |
liq |
1367 |
29.67 |
29666 |
12754 |
7086 |
Ethyl acetate |
C4 H8 O2 |
liq |
2238 |
25.40 |
25397 |
10919 |
6066 |
Ethylene (ethene) |
C2H4 |
gas |
1411 |
50.29 |
50285 |
21619 |
12010 |
Formaldehyde |
CH2O |
gas |
571 |
19.01 |
19014 |
8175 |
4541 |
Formic acid |
CH2O2 |
liq |
254 |
5.52 |
5518 |
2372 |
1318 |
Glycerol |
C3 H8 O3 |
liq |
1654 |
17.96 |
17957 |
7720 |
4289 |
Heptane |
C7 H16 |
liq |
4817 |
48.06 |
48059 |
20662 |
11479 |
Heptanoic acid |
C7 H14 O2 |
liq |
4145.2 |
31.83 |
31835 |
13687 |
7604 |
Hexane |
C6 H14 |
liq |
4163 |
48.31 |
48307 |
20767 |
11538 |
Hexadecanoic acid |
C16 H32 O2 |
liq |
10031.3 |
39.11 |
39112 |
16815 |
9342 |
Hexanoic acid |
C6 H12 O2 |
liq |
3492.2 |
30.06 |
30059 |
12923 |
7179 |
Hydrazine |
N2H4 |
liq |
622 |
19.40 |
19401 |
8341 |
4634 |
Hydrogen |
H2 |
gas |
286 |
141.58 |
141584 |
60870 |
33817 |
Hydrogen cyanide |
CHN |
gas |
672 |
24.86 |
24861 |
10688 |
5938 |
Ketene |
C2H2O |
gas |
1025 |
24.38 |
24382 |
10482 |
5824 |
Methane |
CH4 |
gas |
891 |
55.51 |
55514 |
23867 |
13259 |
Methanol |
CH4 O |
liq |
726 |
22.65 |
22652 |
9739 |
5410 |
Methyl acetate |
C3 H6 O2 |
liq |
1592 |
21.49 |
21487 |
9238 |
5132 |
Methylamine |
CH5 N |
gas |
1086 |
34.95 |
34953 |
15027 |
8348 |
Methylcyclohexane |
C7 H14 |
liq |
4565.3 |
46.48 |
46485 |
19985 |
11103 |
Methylcyclopentane |
C6 H12 |
liq |
3938.1 |
46.78 |
46782 |
20113 |
11174 |
Methyl formate |
C2H4 O2 |
liq |
973 |
16.20 |
16200 |
6965 |
3869 |
Methyl tert-butyl ether |
C5 H12 O |
liq |
3369 |
38.21 |
38209 |
16427 |
9126 |
Naphthalene |
C10 H8 |
cry |
5157 |
40.23 |
40232 |
17294 |
9609 |
Nitric oxide |
NO |
gas |
91 |
3.03 |
3032 |
1304 |
724 |
Nitrobenzene |
C6 H5 NO2 |
liq |
3088 |
25.08 |
25081 |
10783 |
5990 |
Nitromethane |
CH3 NO2 |
liq |
710 |
11.63 |
11630 |
5000 |
2778 |
Nitrous oxide |
N2O |
gas |
82 |
1.86 |
1863 |
801 |
445 |
Nonane |
C9 H20 |
liq |
6125 |
47.74 |
47743 |
20526 |
11403 |
Octane |
C8 H18 |
liq |
5470 |
47.87 |
47873 |
20582 |
11434 |
1-Octanol |
C8 H18 O |
liq |
5294 |
40.64 |
40642 |
17473 |
9707 |
Pentane |
C5 H12 |
liq |
3509 |
48.62 |
48621 |
20903 |
11613 |
Pentanoic acid |
C5 H10 O2 |
liq |
2837.3 |
27.78 |
27776 |
11942 |
6634 |
1-Pentanol |
C5 H12 O |
liq |
3331 |
37.78 |
37779 |
16242 |
9023 |
Phenanthrene |
C14 H10 |
cry |
7055 |
39.58 |
39581 |
17017 |
9454 |
Phenol |
C6 H6 O |
cry |
3054 |
32.45 |
32448 |
13950 |
7750 |
Propanal |
C3 H6 O |
liq |
1522 |
26.20 |
26201 |
11264 |
6258 |
Propane |
C3 H8 |
gas |
2220 |
50.33 |
50329 |
21638 |
12021 |
Propanenitrile |
C3 H5 N |
liq |
1911 |
34.69 |
34689 |
14914 |
8285 |
Propanoic acid |
C3 H6 O2 |
liq |
1527.3 |
20.61 |
20614 |
8862 |
4924 |
1-Propanol |
C3 H8 O |
liq |
2021 |
33.62 |
33622 |
14455 |
8030 |
2-Propanol |
C3 H8 O |
liq |
2006 |
33.37 |
33372 |
14347 |
7971 |
Propene |
C3 H6 |
gas |
2058 |
48.90 |
48895 |
21021 |
11678 |
Propyne |
C3 H4 |
gas |
185.0 |
4.62 |
4617 |
1985 |
1103 |
Pyridine |
C5 H5 N |
liq |
2782 |
35.17 |
35166 |
15119 |
8399 |
Toluene (methylbenzene) |
C7 H8 |
liq |
3910 |
42.43 |
42431 |
18242 |
10134 |
Trimethylamine |
C3 H9 N |
gas |
2443 |
41.32 |
41316 |
17763 |
9868 |
2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene |
C7 H5 N3 O6 |
cry |
3406 |
14.99 |
14994 |
6446 |
3581 |
Undecane |
C11 H24 |
liq |
7431.4 |
47.53 |
47530 |
20434 |
11352 |
Urea |
CH4 N2O |
cry |
632.7 |
10.53 |
10533 |
4528 |
2516 |
* gas = gas, liq = liquid, cry = crystalline (solid) |
Unit conversion
- 1 kJ/kg = 1 J/g = 10-3 GJ/tonne = 0.000278 kWh/kg = 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