Types of Liquid Fuels and Uses

Liquid Fuels

• Liquid fuels are used primarily to power engines, generate heat, or provide energy
• Liquid fuels are in a liquid state at ambient temperatures

Types of Liquid Fuels

• Petroleum-Based Fuels:
  • Gasoline (petrol): Used in internal combustion engines in cars and motorcycles
  • Diesel: Used in diesel engines found in trucks, buses, some cars, and industrial machinery
  • Kerosene: Used as a fuel for jet engines (aviation fuel) and in some heating applications
  • Heating oil: Similar to diesel but typically used for home heating
  • LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas): A mixture of propane and butane, used for heating, cooking, and as an automotive fuel
• Biofuels:
  • Biodiesel: Produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled grease, can be used in diesel engines, often blended with petroleum.
  • Biobutanol: Produced through a fermentation process using microorganisms that convert sugars or other carbohydrates into butanol.
• Synthetic Fuels:
  • Synthetic gasoline: Created from synthetic processes like Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, used similarly to conventional gasoline.
  • Synthetic diesel: Produced from gas-to-liquid (GTL) or coal-to-liquid (CTL) processes, used similarly to conventional diesel.
• Renewable Fuels:
  • Algae Biofuel: Renewable energy produced from algae

Density Measurement Methods

• Displacement Method (for Solids): Measures volume displacement to calculate density
• Ultrasonic Density Meter: Measures density using the speed of sound through a liquid
• Balancing Density Measurement (for Liquids): Uses a balance to measure the mass of a liquid sample and a volumetric container.
• Specific Gravity: The ratio of the density of a liquid to the density of water at a specific temperature (usually at 4 degrees Celsius)
• Specific Gravity Bottle: Similar to a pycnometer, used to measure the density of liquids

Viscosity Measurement Methods

• Vibrating Viscometer: Measures viscosity by detecting changes in the vibration frequency of a probe immersed in the fluid.
• Cone and Plate Viscometer: Measures viscosity by rotating a cone over a flat plate and measuring the shear stress and shear rate.
• Cup Viscometer (Ford Cup, Zahn Cup): Measures the time it takes for a liquid to flow out of a cup with a hole at the bottom.
• Dynamic Shear Rheometer: Measures the viscosity of materials under oscillatory shear conditions.

Flash Point and Fire Point

• Flash point: The lowest temperature at which a lubricating oil or fuel must be heated before its vapor mixed with air can ignite but not continue to burn.
• Fire point: The temperature at which a lubricant or fuel combustion will be sustained.

Lubricants

• Jet fuel: A refined petroleum product used in aircraft engines
• Acetone: A colorless, volatile liquid categorized based on its properties and uses
• Silicone Grease: Provides excellent high-temperature stability and is used in applications requiring non-reactive, non-stick lubrication
• Graphite Grease: Contains graphite for dry lubrication and is used in extreme pressure and high-temperature environments.
• Molybdenum Disulfide Grease: Contains molybdenum disulfide for lubrication.
• Water-Resistant Grease: Excellent resistance to washout and corrosion from water exposure
• Conductive Grease: Serves as a ground.
• High-Temperature Grease: Specialized lubricants designed to withstand elevated temperatures in demanding industrial applications.
• Drop Point of Grease: Also known as the melting point, indicates the temperature at which the grease begins to liquefy.

Calorific Test of Gaseous Fuel

• Calorific value: The amount of heat energy present in food or fuel, determined by the complete combustion of a specified quantity at constant pressure and in normal conditions.

Categories of Gaseous Fuels

• Gaseous Fuels: Fuels found in nature or manufactured in a gaseous state.
• Natural Gas: Fuels derived from natural gas reservoirs in the Earth's crust.
• Manufactured Gas: Fuels produced through chemical processes, often from coal or biomass.
• Biogas: Fuels produced from the decomposition of organic matter in anaerobic conditions.

Types of Natural Gas

• Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG): Natural gas cooled to a very low temperature to convert it into a liquid state.
• Compressed Natural Gas (CNG): Natural gas compressed to a high pressure for storage and transportation.

Other Gaseous Fuels

• Hydrogen (H₂): A clean alternative to methane, also known as natural gas. The most abundant chemical element, estimated to contribute 75% of the mass of the universe.
• Syngas (CO + H₂): Gas from non-fossil sources, produced through pyro-gasification.
• Coal Gas: Produced by heating coal in the absence of air. A mixture of methane (CH4), hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) formed by the destructive distillation of coal.
• Water Gas: A mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen produced by alternating hot blowing a fuel layer (coke) with air and gasifying it with steam.
• Producer Gas: Obtained when coal or coke is burnt with air deficiency and a controlled amount of moisture.
• Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Fuel gas containing a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases, specifically propane, n-butane and isobutane.
• Coke Oven Gas: A byproduct of steel production, primarily composed of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, and other hydrocarbons.
• Blast Furnace Gas: A byproduct of iron production, primarily composed of carbon monoxide and nitrogen.
• Reformed Natural Gas: A type of natural gas processed to increase its hydrogen content.
• Biogas: A gaseous fuel produced from the decomposition of organic matter in an anaerobic environment.

Flue Gas Analysis Methods

• Moisture Analyzers: Measure the moisture content in various types of samples including solids, liquids, and gases
• Sulfur Analyzers: Measure sulfur content in crude oil, natural gas, and refined products
• pH Meter: Measures acidity or alkalinity of a solution (also known as pH).
• Conductivity Meter: Measures the level of conductivity in solutions.
• Smoke Density Monitor: Monitors the smoke emission from all kinds of combustion and soot contamination of inert gas.

Chemical Methods of Flue Gas Analysis

• Fyrite Testers: Used for measuring the carbon dioxide (CO2) content in flue gases.
• Orsats: Used to determine the composition of flue gases.
• Chemical Methods: Commonly used to analyze the composition of flue gases, especially for measuring the concentrations of specific components.

Instrumental Methods of Flue Gas Analysis

• Gas Chromatography (GC): Separates components based on their affinity for a stationary phase.
• Infrared Spectroscopy (IR): Measures the absorption of infrared radiation by different gases.
• Chemiluminescence Detectors (CLD): Detects specific gases based on the light emitted during a chemical reaction.
• Paramagnetic Oxygen Analyzers: Measures oxygen concentration based on its magnetic properties.
• Electrochemical Sensors: Measures the electrical current generated by a chemical reaction between the gas and a sensor.

Sampling Methods for Flue Gas Analysis

• Isokinetic Sampling: Ensures that the gas velocity in the sampling probe matches the gas velocity in the flue duct, preventing preferential sampling of certain components.
• Grab Sampling: Single sample of flue gas collected at a specific point in time.
• Continuous Sampling: Continuously collecting and analyzing flue gas samples over time, providing real-time data on gas composition.