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Fuels

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Fundamentals of Combustion Processes

Part of the book series: Mechanical Engineering Series ((MES))

Abstract

Fuel and oxidizer are the two essential ingredients of a combustion process. Fuels can be classified as substances that liberate heat when reacted chemically with an oxidizer. Practical application of a fuel requires that it be abundant and inexpensive, and its use must comply with environmental regulations. Most fuels currently used in combustion systems are derived from non-renewable fossil sources. Use of these “fossil fuels” contributes to global warming effects because of the net-positive amount of carbon dioxide emissions inherent to their utilization. Fuels derived from biomass or from other renewable means represent potentially attractive alternatives to fossil fuels and are currently the subject of intensive research and development. Topics covered in this chapter include: (1) different types of fuels (fossil fuels, biofuels, and hydrogen), (2) fuel usage in the United States, (3) basic considerations when choosing a fuel, (4) identification of fuels by their molecular structure, and (5) properties of liquid fuels.

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References

  1. Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration (2008), Annual Energy Review, Report Number DOE/EIA-0384(2008).

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  2. http://www.epud.org/shmtn.aspx

  3. http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/gasification/howgasificationworks

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Sara McAllister (Research Mechanical Engineer)

    Present address: Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, USDA Forest Service RMRS, Missoula, MT, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Sara McAllister (Research Mechanical Engineer), Jyh-Yuan Chen & A. Carlos Fernandez-Pello

Authors
  1. Sara McAllister
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  2. Jyh-Yuan Chen
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  3. A. Carlos Fernandez-Pello
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sara McAllister .

Exercise

Exercise

  1. 1.1

    Ethanol and dimethyl ether (DME), which happen to be chemical isomers, have been considered as potential fuels for the future. At ambient conditions, determine the phase of these two fuels.

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© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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McAllister, S., Chen, JY., Fernandez-Pello, A.C. (2011). Fuels. In: Fundamentals of Combustion Processes. Mechanical Engineering Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7943-8_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7943-8_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-7942-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-7943-8

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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