Significance and Use

The heat of combustion is a measure of the energy available from a fuel. A knowledge of this value is essential when considering the thermal efficiency of equipment for producing either power or heat.

The heat of combustion as determined by this test method is designated as one of the chemical and physical requirements of both commercial and military turbine fuels and aviation gasolines.

The mass heat of combustion, the heat of combustion per unit mass of fuel, is a critical property of fuels intended for use in weight-limited craft such as airplanes, surface effect vehicles, and hydrofoils. The range of such craft between refueling is a direct function of the heat of combustion and density of the fuel.