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Laboratory

Experimen DETERMINATION OF ENERGY CONTENT OF


t LIQUID FUELS
No: __1___

I. INTRODUCTION

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.

Hydrocarbons (or mixtures of hydrocarbons) are among the most


energy-rich and cleanest-burning fuels. Many of them are liquids,
which makes them attractive for transportation fuels. Some
alternative fuels may be derived from either fossil fuels or from plant
sources. Fuels are substances that burn to give off a relatively large
amount of heat. In an overall sense, such burning is simply a
combustion reaction between the fuel and oxygen. How much heat is
generated depends on what kind of fuel is used and how much of it is
burned. Many fuels are hydrocarbons such as methane (CH4) and
propane (C3H8), i.e. compounds containing only hydrogen and
carbon. Other fuels such as ethanol (C2H5OH) contain oxygen in
addition to carbon and hydrogen.

II. INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

To be able to design and conduct an experiment involving liquid


fuels
To compare experimentally the energy content of ethanol,
methanol, kerosene, paraffin wax
To determine the efficiency of liberated heat by the combustion
of various kinds of fuels

III. MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT AND REAGENTS


MATERIALS EQUIPMENT REAGENTS
Empty tin can Analytical balance Ethanol
Alcohol lamp Methanol
Iron stand Kerosene
Iron clamp Paraffin wax
Pipette
Graduated cylinder
Thermometer

EXPERIMENT SETUP
Thermomet
er

CHE 306|CHEMICAL ENGINEERINGI CALCULATIONS 2


Laboratory
Experimen DETERMINATION OF ENERGY CONTENT OF
t LIQUID FUELS
No: __1___

Iron Stand
Tin
Can

Alcohol Lamp
containing the
fuel

IV. PROCEDURE
1. Wear proper PPE in doing the experiment.
2. Prepare all the materials and reagents needed.
3. Identify the initial mass of the water
3.1. Weigh the empty tin can.
3.2. Measure by the use of graduated cylinder 100ml of water,
pour it into the tin can and record the resulted mass.
3.3. Compute the mass of the water by subtracting the mass of
the empty tin can from the mass of the water and the tin can.
4. Identifying the initial mass of the liquid fuels (methanol, ethanol
& kerosene)
4.1. Weigh the alcohol lamp and label it.
4.2. Pour in sufficient amount of the fuel into the alcohol lamp.
4.3. Reweigh the alcohol lamp with the liquid fuel and record
the resulted mass.
4.4. Compute the mass of the fuel by subtracting the mass of
the alcohol lamp from the mass of the fuel and alcohol lamp.
5. Prepare the setup of the iron stand with iron clamp that will hold
the tin can while heating it.
6. Measure the initial temperature of the water inside the tin can
before applying heat.
7. Place the thermometer inside the tine can to measure its
temperature while heating.
8. Heat the tin can with water by placing under it the alcohol lamp
containing the fuel.
9. Record the temperature rise every 30secs for 5mins.
10. Extinguish the flame of the alcohol lamp.
11. Reweigh the alcohol lamp and record its mass.
12. Calculate the mass consumed by the heating process by
subtracting from the initial mass the mass of the alcohol lamp
and fuel obtained.
13. Do the same thing with the remaining liquid fuels.
14. For the candle, measure the weight before using it as heat
source. Heat again for 5mins, reweigh the candle after using it.
Calculate the mass.
15. Tabulate all the results precisely and calculate the required
values.

CHE 306|CHEMICAL ENGINEERINGI CALCULATIONS 2


Laboratory
Experimen DETERMINATION OF ENERGY CONTENT OF
t LIQUID FUELS
No: __1___

V. DATA AND RESULTS

Table 1. ETHANOL (ENERGY CONTENT: 26.8 KJ/g)


DESCRIPTION VALUES
Mass of Tin can (g) 12.11
Mass of tin can with 100ml H20 (g) 111.85
Mass of H20 (g) 99.74
Mass of alcohol lamp (g) 113.3090
Initial mass of alcohol lamp with 141.97
ethanol (g)
Mass of ethanol (g) 28.661
Final mass of alcohol lamp with 140.32
ethanol (g)
consumed mass of the ethanol (g) 1.65
Heat (KJ) 21.7002
Energy Content (KJ/g) 13.1516
Efficiency (%) 49.07
Tem 28 32 38 44 48 54 58 64 70 74 80
p(
C)
Time(mi 0 .5 1 1.5 2 25 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
n)

Table 2. PARAFFIN WAX (Energy Content: 42.01 KJ/g)


DESCRIPTION VALUES
Mass of Tin can (g) 12.31
Mass of tin can with 100ml H20 (g) 112.03
Mass of H20 (g) 99.72
Initial mass of candle (g) 23.29
Final mass of candle (g) 22.78
consumed mass of candle (g) .51
Heat (KJ) 10.8479
Energy Content (KJ/g) 21.2705
Efficiency (%) 50.63
Tem 28 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 51 54
p(
C)
Time(mi 0 .5 1 1.5 2 25 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
n)

Table 3. METHANOL (Energy Content: 19.9 KJ/g)


DESCRIPTION VALUES
Mass of Tin can (g) 12.33
Mass of tin can with 100ml H20 (g) 112.23
Mass of H20 (g) 99.9
Initial mass of alcohol lamp with 140.35

CHE 306|CHEMICAL ENGINEERINGI CALCULATIONS 2


Laboratory
Experimen DETERMINATION OF ENERGY CONTENT OF
t LIQUID FUELS
No: __1___

Methanol (g)
Final mass of alcohol lamp with 139.02
Methanol (g)
Consumed mass of the Methanol (g) 1.33
Heat (KJ) 11.7035
Energy Content (KJ/g) 8.7996
Efficiency (%) 44.22
Tem 28 36 38 40 41 43 46 48 51 54 56
p(
C)
Time(mi 0 .5 1 1.5 2 25 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
n)

Table 4. KEROSENE (Energy Content: 96.3 KJ/g)


DESCRIPTION VALUES
Mass of Tin can (g) 12.33
Mass of tin can with 100ml H20 (g) 112.23
Mass of H20 (g) 99.9
Initial mass of alcohol lamp with 140.35
Methanol (g)
Final mass of alcohol lamp with 139.02
Methanol (g)
Consumed mass of the Methanol (g) 1.33
Heat (KJ) 11.7035
Energy Content (KJ/g) 8.7996
Efficiency (%) 33.68
Tem 28 32 36 42 46 54 58 62 66 70 74
p(
C)
Time(mi 0 .5 1 1. 2 25 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
n) 5

CHE 306|CHEMICAL ENGINEERINGI CALCULATIONS 2


Laboratory
Experimen DETERMINATION OF ENERGY CONTENT OF
t LIQUID FUELS
No: __1___

Time vs. Temperature Graph


90

80 80
74 74
70 70 70
66
64
62
60
58
56
54 54 54
50 ETHANOL PARAFFIN WAX METHANOL 51 51
KEROSENE
48 48 48
46 46 46
44 43 44
42 41 42
Temperatur 40 40 40
38 38
36 36
e 34
32
30
28

20

10

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

VI. CALCULATIONS
Time
FORMULAS TO BE USED:

Heat evolved of the fuel (Q) = mwCpdT


Q
Energy Content = mass of consumed fuel

experimental value of energy content


Efficiency = ideal value of energy content

ETHANOL
Q = mwCpDt
1 Kg
= 99.74 g ( 1000 g ) (4.184 KJ/Kg) (80-28)

Q = 21.7002 KJ
21.7002 KJ
Energy Content = 1.65 g
= 13.1516 KJ/g
1 3.1516 Kj/ g
Efficiency = 26.8 KJ /g
= 49.07%
PARAFFIN WAX
Q = mwCpDt

CHE 306|CHEMICAL ENGINEERINGI CALCULATIONS 2


Laboratory
Experimen DETERMINATION OF ENERGY CONTENT OF
t LIQUID FUELS
No: __1___

1 Kg
= 99.72 g ( 1000 g ) (4.184 KJ/Kg) (54-28)

Q = 10.8479 KJ
10.8479 KJ
Energy Content = .51 g
= 21.2705 KJ/g
21.2705 Kj /g
Efficiency = 42.01 KJ /g
= 50.63%
METHANOL
Q = mwCpDt
1 Kg
= 99.9 g ( 1000 g ) (4.184 KJ/Kg) (56-28)

Q = 11.7035 KJ
11.7035 KJ
Energy Content = 1.33 g
= 8.7996 KJ/g
8.7996 Kj / g
Efficiency = 19.9 KJ / g
= 44.22%
KEROSENE
Q = mwCpDt
1 Kg
= 99.65 g ( 1000 g ) (4.184 KJ/Kg) (74-28)

Q = 19.1790 KJ
19.1790 KJ
Energy Content = 1.23 g
=15.5927 KJ/g
15.5927 Kj /g
Efficiency = 46.3 KJ /g
= 33.68%

VII. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION


The total heat absorbed by the water is then equal to
Q = mwCpDt
Here Q is the energy transferred to water in the form of heat, T, the
change in temperature, is equal to Tfinal Tinitial, and C is a
quantity called the heat capacity. This relationship can be used to
determine the amount of heat liberated by a known amount of a
particular fuel by measuring the increase in the water temperature
due to energy provided by the fuel.

Based on the experiment, the fuel with the highest efficiency is the
paraffin wax that has 50.63 %, followed by the ethanol with 49.07%
and then methanol with 44.22% and the least is kerosene with
33.68%. Based on the graph, the fuel that reaches the highest
temperature within 5mins is the ethanol, next is the kerosene,

CHE 306|CHEMICAL ENGINEERINGI CALCULATIONS 2


Laboratory
Experimen DETERMINATION OF ENERGY CONTENT OF
t LIQUID FUELS
No: __1___

methanol and then paraffin wax. It can be related to the heat


evolved from the fuels, the ethanol has the highest heat evolved
while the paraffin wax is the least.

VIII. CONCLUSION

The performers were able to design and conduct the experiment in


liquid fuels. They were able to form a procedure to determine the
energy content of the liquid fuels such as ethanol, methanol, paraffin
wax and kerosene.
They successfully finish the determination of the energy content for
the liquid fuels. And its concluded that the highest efficiency is the
paraffin wax with 50.63% and the lowest is the kerosene with 50.63 %.
In terms of the heat evolved, the ethanol has the highest heat and with
the highest temperature that was reached. It can be concluded that as
the temperature rises the heat evolved increases.
The errors occur in the calculated values are may be due to the not
controlled flame of the fuel, in using different analytical balance
because of its calibration.
Liquid fuels are been part of our daily lives thats why the
determination of the energy content of the liquid fuels are important.
To know its efficiency will help to determine which fuel is proficient to
use.

IX. RECOMMENDATION
In doing this experiment, be careful working with the flames, it may
cause serious burns. Use the top loading balances for this experiment.
In order for your flames to be reasonable sizes the wicks should be
adjusted to a fairly short setting. Test the flame before you start
heating your water, and before you weigh your burners. Measure the
temperature until the highest temperature is reached with proper
interval. It helps to wipe the soot off the bottom of the can after each
run. It doesnt have to be perfectly clean, but if you get the loose stuff
off it is helpful. And make sure to cool down first the thermometer
before using it again with the next fuel.

X. REFERENCES

Comparison of the Energy Content of Fuels.


https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~sabrash/110lab/110exp10prelab.pdf
Los Angeles City College, Chemistry 51, Experiment 9, The Energy Content of
Fuels.,2007. ACCESS:March 20, 2016. Available[ONLINE]
http://www.csun.edu/~alchemy/Chem51-LACC/Labs/C51F07L09.pdf

CHE 306|CHEMICAL ENGINEERINGI CALCULATIONS 2

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