Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Chapter 4 – Transport, Energy and Environment, Energy Content of some Combustibles (in MJ/kg), 7. Copyright © 1998-2020, Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Dept. His research interests cover transportation and economics as they relate to logistics and global freight distribution. Introduction. This change can be represented by a word equation or a formula equation. Is the fuel unstable? The ideal renewable energy sources are naturally occurring energy flows. [1] Note: 1 KiloWatthour (kWh) ≡ 3.6 MegaJoules (MJ). August 2018. Different fuels have different levels of energy content, which can be measured in terms of equivalent energy released through combustion. The following table shows the magnitude of energy available from these sources when used in practical devices. See also Energy Efficiency and Energy from Coal? Rechargeable Battery (Nickel Metal Hydride). The material cannot be copied or redistributed in ANY FORM and on ANY MEDIA. Endothermic reactions take in heat energy. [2] Natural gas consists primarily of methane (70 to 90%) but includes significant quantities of ethane (5 to 15%), butane , propane , carbon dioxide , nitrogen , helium and hydrogen sulfide. Gasoline, which is derived from refining crude oil, contains much more energy than coal (twice than the lower grade bituminous) or wood (three times). The chart above compares energy densities (both per unit volume and per unit weight) for several transportation fuels that are available throughout the United States. Chemical elements however contain intrinsic electrochemical energy potential associated with the energy of the electrons in the outermost electron shell or valence band (explained in the Energy section on the Cell Chemistries page) and this energy is converted directly to useable electric energy in batteries. Despite the continuing developments of solar, wind and hydro power, over 80% of the World's electricity is still derived from heat sources. Copyright © Woodbank Communications Ltd 2005. his is because explosives, by definition contain both fuel and oxidiser while food and fossil fuels do not contain oxidiser and use air for combustion. kilograms). For example, a given fuel may be the most energy efficient (i.e. of Global Studies & Geography, Hofstra University, New York, USA. Any other uses, such as conference presentations, posting on web sites or consulting reports, are FORBIDDEN. The energy content of various materials usually, but not always, refers to the calorific or thermal energy which can be extracted from the material, usually by burning it and using the heat in some way to generate electricity. Different fuels have different levels of energy content, which can be measured in terms of equivalent energy released through combustion. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a mixture of Propane and Butane, Deuterium - Tritium (40 / 60) (Nuclear Fusion) See calculation. Fuels are compounds that react with oxygen to release energy. When fuels burn they release heat energy and light energy to the surroundings in exothermic reactions known as combustion reactions. The violent reaction of explosives occurs because the explosive is mixed with its oxidiser and burns throughout the full volume of the fuel, whereas fossil fuels can only burn at the surface where the fuel meets the oxidant. The energy content of various materials usually, but not always, refers to the calorific or thermal energy which can be extracted from the material, usually by burning it and using the heat in some way to generate electricity. Clear all. Many different compounds can be used as fuels, most commonly alkanes and alcohols. Select the fuel and properties of interest. The Heat of Combustion of a product measures the energy released when that substance is burned in air, this information is often presented in units of .. For a description of how electrical energy is generated from these sources and the conversion losses involved see the Electrical Energy Overview. As a comparison, with a conversion rate of 100%, it would require 100 hours to capture the solar energy equivalent of 1 kg of gasoline on a surface of one square meter. Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Professor of Geography at Hofstra University. \[Propane + oxygen \to carbon\,dioxide + water\], \[{C_3}{H_8} + 5{O_2} \to 3C{O_2} + 4{H_2}O\]. Furthermore, hydrogen must be synthesized, which requires energy. Chemical Energy Content of some Fuels (in MJ/kg) Source: adapted from C. Ronneau (2004), Energie, pollution de l’air et developpement durable, Louvain-la-Neuve: Presses Universitaires de Louvain. Cost per unit of fuel ÷ [Fuel energy content (in millions Btu per unit) × Heating system efficiency (in decimal).] Select Fuels. This page lists some the main sources of energy which are used for electrical power generation together with the energy content of the source. Woodbank does not monitor or record these emails. The highest energy content fuel is hydrogen, which is also the simplest chemical component in existence. Fossil Fuel. The heat value of a fuel is the amount of heat released during its combustion. For specific uses permission MUST be requested.