The heating value or heat of combustion is a measure of the energy available from the fuel.

The fraction
or percentage of the heat of combustion that is converted to useful work is a measure of the thermal
efficiency of an engine. Thus, a knowledge of the heat of combustion of the fuel is basic to the
engineering of automotive engines.

When a fuel is burned in oxygen and water is one of the combustion products, the adiabatic flame
temperature is high enough that the water is in the vapor phase. In many heat exchangers the final
temperature of the combustion products (their exit temperature from the heat exchanger) is still higher
than the boiling point of water and the heat of transformation of the vapor is lost to the atmosphere.
This reduces the "heating value" of the fuel to its "Low Heating Value".

If the water vapor created in the combustion reaction is condensed, the heat of transformation
(condensation) can be recovered and the energy obtained from the combustion process is increased.
These conditions yield the "High Heating Value" of the fuel.

The lower heating value (LHV) or higher heating value (HHV) of a gas is an important consideration when
selecting a gas engine or CHP plant. Gas engines efficiency is typically quoted based upon the LHV of the
gas.

Whenever a hydrocarbon fuel is burned one product of combustion is water. The quantity of water
produced is dependent upon the amount of hydrogen in the fuel. Due to high combustion
temperatures, this water takes the form of steam which stores a small fraction of the energy released
during combustion as the latent heat of vaporization; in simple terms, as heat energy stored in the
vaporized ‘state’ of water.

The total amount of heat liberated during the combustion of a unit of fuel, the HHV or HCV, includes the
latent heat stored in the vaporized water. In some applications it is possible to condense this vapor back
to its liquid state and ‘recover’ a proportion of this energy. However, engine exhaust temperatures are
above that at which the water vapor would condense, and hence the steam ‘escapes’ with the exhaust
gases carrying with it the stored energy.

The amount of heat available from a fuel after the latent heat of vaporization, the LHV or LCV, is
deducted from the HHV, and it is this, that is available when the fuel is burned in an engine. The energy
input into a gas engine should be defined using the LHV of the fuel.

Fuel suppliers will usually quote the HHV and it will be this measure that will be used when kWh unit
charges are applied for the fuel. In the case of natural gas, the ratio of HHV to LHV is approximately
1.108:1. Hence, when performing a cost benefit analysis for a CHP application, it is the HHV figure which
should be used.

The LHV of a fuel determines the fuel flow rate required when going into the engine because the total
quantity of energy input necessary for the engine to produce a specific output power is defined and
fixed. Hence the gas flow rate has to be such in order to provide the required energy input.

Fuel LHV is normally quoted using units of kWh/Nm3 and therefore, if the energy input to the engine is
known, the gas flow rate in m3/hr can easily be calculated.
Apparatus

Mercury filled glass thermometer, two Beakers, weighing scale, Stop watch, stand

Procedure:

Clean the beakers then dry them. Determine their weighs so it can be subtracted to the weighs with the
fuel and water. Pour an amount of water to one beaker then weigh and record. To this also to other
beaker with an amount of fuel.

Measure the initial temperature of the water in the beaker.

Light the beaker with the fuel while it is under the beaker with water by using the stand. Measure and
record the temperature of water every five minutes, repeat this three times. Compute for the changes
of temperatures between the five minute periods.

Weigh the amount of fuel left in the experiment. Compute for the energies or heating value using the
formula:

Illustration:

Cross-section of a Sargent type of gas calorimeter:

Discussion:

TRIAL CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE HEATING VALUE

1 21.5
2 19
3 10.5

References:

https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j1498_198705

https://www.princeton.edu/~humcomp/sophlab/ther_15

https://www.clarke-energy.com/2013/heating-value