Lower and Higher Heating Values of Fuels
You can use this calculator to obtain the heating value of a given mass or volume of hydrogen or other fuels, or to calculate the mass or volume given a certain heating value. Choose whether you want to convert to heating value or to mass/volume, and then choose the fuel type. Then enter the value you want to convert and its units, and click Convert to initiate the conversion.
Notes:
The lower heating value (also known as net calorific value) of a fuel is defined as the amount of heat released by combusting a specified quantity (initially at 25°C) and returning the temperature of the combustion products to 150°C, which assumes the latent heat of vaporization of water in the reaction products is not recovered.
The higher heating value (also known gross calorific value or gross energy) of a fuel is defined as the amount of heat released by a specified quantity (initially at 25°C) once it is combusted and the products have returned to a temperature of 25°C, which takes into account the latent heat of vaporization of water in the combustion products.
- Btu = British thermal units; scf = standard cubic feet.
- The heating values for gaseous fuels in units of Btu/lb are calculated based on the heating values in units of Btu/scf and the corresponding fuel density values. The heating values for liquid fuels in units of Btu/lb are calculated based on heating values in unit of Btu/gal and the corresponding fuels density values.
- The heating values in units of MJ/kg, are converted from the heating values in units of Btu/lb.
- For solid fuels, the heating values in units of Btu/lb are converted from the heating values in units of Btu/ton.
- Coal characteristics assumed by GREET for electric power production.
- Coal characteristics assumed by GREET for hydrogen and Fischer-Tropsch diesel production.
- The HHV figure for liquid hydrogen in Btu/gal is based on personal communication with Ye Wu of Argonne National Laboratory.