1.

0 Introduction to Fuels and Combustion

Since the beginning of recorded history, fire has been central to our society as a

source of heat, light, and security. Our modern fuels, the substances we burn or combust, are

available in many different forms. We use coal in power plants to generate electricity. We

use gasoline to run our cars. We use natural gas or heating oil to warm our homes. We use

propane, charcoal, or wood to cook our food at a summer barbecue. We might even use wax

to provide light for a romantic candlelit dinner. In each of these cases, using fuels means

burning them. This process of combustion causes a difference in energy between the

reactants and products of combustion, and that energy is released as light and heat—a flame!

A fuel is any solid, liquid, or gaseous substance that may be combusted (burned) to

produce heat or work. Sources of fuel date back to prehistoric times, where solids such as

grass and straw were burned for heat. The use of coal as a fuel actually dates back to ancient

civilizations, where it was used to isolate copper from ore in northeastern China as early as

1000 BC. However, the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century sparked the large-scale

use of coal for steam engines and steelmaking. The development of drilling technology for

oil wells in the mid-19th century in the U.S. gave rise to the petroleum industry and mass

consumption of petroleum products for transportation, electricity, heating, and even plastics

fabrication. Currently, the world’s energy needs are provided by burning fossil fuels, coal,

and/or oil.

A fuel is considered valuable if it ignites easily at a low temperature and produces a

large quantity of heat during its combustion. In addition, fuels should be inexpensively

isolated and have properties that allow for their safe and efficient storage or transport.

Lastly, a desirable fuel should leave little residue behind after being burned, and produce by-

products that are not harmful to human health or the environment. Unfortunately, no fuel

satisfies all of these conditions. Humans currently use coal, petroleum products (e.g.,

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Students are expected to determine good fuels based on its

characteristics and calorific values.

81

MACALALAD – GAYETA - BASILAN | BATSTATEU

gasoline, diesel, propane, etc.), and natural gas as our primary sources of fuel. Contrary to

popular belief, these so-called fossil fuels are not the prehistoric remains of dinosaurs. In

fact, most of the fossil fuels we use today were formed from decaying plant life that

flourished millions of years before the first dinosaurs appeared.

Considering how long it takes to convert plant life to fossil fuels, the rate at which we

are burning coal, petroleum, and natural gas is not sustainable, at least in terms of having

enough of it available to meet current and future energy needs.

Burning fossil fuels for energy fails to meet the criteria of sustainability in two ways.

First, the fuels themselves are nonrenewable. Once gone, they cannot be replaced—at least

within a useful timescale. Second, the waste products of combustion have adverse effects on

our environment, both today and in the future.

There are three necessary requirements to generate a fire—a source of heat, a fuel,

and an oxidizer. When these components are combined, a chemical reaction takes place that

releases a variety of by-products and a significant amount of heat. Once a fire is generated,

the heat or ignition source is no longer needed. The fire will continue to burn until either the

oxygen or fuel source is removed. For instance, fire blankets are used to extinguish a fire by

preventing available oxygen from reacting with the fuel source. Regardless of the specific

source of fuel or oxidizing agent, the general chemical reaction is the same.

Fuel + Oxidizer

→ Products
The identity of the products will differ, depending on the fuel and oxidizer used for

combustion. However, the chemical makeup of these products is rarely straightforward. The

great majority of fuels are hydrocarbons, compounds made up only of the elements hydrogen

and carbon.