What is kerosene used for in aviation?
Today, kerosene is mainly used in fuel for jet engines in several grades. One highly refined form of the fuel is known as RP-1, and is often burned with liquid oxygen as rocket fuel. These fuel grade kerosenes meet specifications for smoke points and freeze points.
What is the carbon number distribution of kerosene?
Kerosene -type jet fuel (including Jet A and Jet A-1, JP-5, and JP-8) has a carbon number distribution between about 8 and 16 (carbon atoms per molecule); wide-cut or naphtha -type jet fuel (including Jet B and JP-4), between about 5 and 15.
Is kerosene a combustible liquid?
Kerosene, also known as paraffin, lamp oil, and coal oil (an obsolete term), is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid which is derived from petroleum. It is widely used as a fuel in industry as well as households.
Where can I buy kerosene in Japan?
Kerosene is widely used in Japan as a home heating fuel for portable and installed kerosene heaters. In Japan, kerosene can be readily bought at any filling station or be delivered to homes. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, kerosene is often used as a heating fuel in areas not connected to a gas pipeline network.

Is Jet Fuel basically kerosene?
Jet fuel (Jet A-1, kerosene) The fuel type is kerosene. Jet A-1 has a flash point higher than 38°C and a freezing point of -47°C. Jet A is a similar kerosene fuel type that is normally available only in the U.S. After refining, aviation fuel is mixed with extremely small amounts of several additives.
Is Jet A-1 kerosene?
Jet A-1 is a kerosine grade of fuel suitable for most turbine engined aircraft. It has a flash point minimum of 38 degrees C (100°F) and a freeze point maximum of -47 degrees C.
Is kerosene used in jet planes?
Aviation kerosene, also known as QAV-1, is the fuel used by airplanes and helicopters equipped with turbine engines, such as pure jet, turboprops, or turbofans. Our kerosene's thermal stability ensures the aircraft's performance.
What is jet fuel made up of?
Jet fuels are typically made by blending and refining various crude oil petroleum distillation products such as naphtha, gasoline, or kerosene in order to meet specific military or commercial specifications (Air Force 1989b).
Can you burn Jet-A in a kerosene heater?
In addition, never use diesel, jet "A" fuel, No. 1 fuel oil, No. 2 fuel oil or gasoline in your heater. The use of any of these fuels could result in a fire or explosion that could cause death or injury.
Why is kerosene used for jet fuel?
With its higher flash point, kerosene offers higher octane ratings to achieve greater power and efficiency when compared to its gasoline counterpart. In fact, this is the main reason kerosene fuel is used in airplanes.
How much kerosene does a plane use?
It will consume a total of 5,016 litres of fuel in the entire journey of 1200 kilometres. It means 0.683 litre of fuel consumption per second and 41.8 litres of fuel in one minute. The plane will consume 2,508 litres of fuel per hour. An Airbus A321neo fuel capacity of 32,940 litre.
Why is jet fuel so cheap?
Jet A fuel consistently costs less than 100LL due to its simpler refining process, ease of transportation (via pipelines because it does not contain lead), and economies of scale from the volume of demand.
Is aviation kerosene expensive?
ATF, which is used as a fuel in aeroplanes, now costs less than one-third of the price of petrol used in cars and two-wheelers. A litre of petrol in Delhi comes for Rs 69.59 while jet fuel is priced at Rs 22.54 per litre. Diesel, used mostly in trucks, buses and tractors, is priced at Rs 62.29 per litre.
Why don't we use kerosene in cars?
Kerosene is closer to diesel fuel and is less refined. It can withstand higher temperatures before it vaporizes. This means combustion is not as easy as it is with gasoline. Therefore kerosene is not used a fuel for automobiles.
Where does the US get its jet fuel?
Distribution of jet fuel in the United States primarily involves transport from the Gulf Coast to other regions. Transportation of refined petroleum products (which include jet fuel) is accomplished via pipeline (60%), ocean-going tankers and barges on inland waterways (30%), tanker trucks (5%), and rail (5%).
What would happen if you put jet fuel in a car?
Will jet fuel cause your vehicle to explode? Again, the answer is no. While kerosene can certainly be a hazardous material, there is no danger that your vehicle will catch fire if its gas tank is filled with jet fuel. However, it will stall out, and it can do severe and costly damage to your engine.
What's the difference between jet fuel and kerosene?
Kerosene is a light refined product (C6-C16) that has a lower boiling point range than diesel/No. 2 fuel oils. Jet-A (freeze point of -40°C) and Jet-A1 (freeze point of -47°C) are highly refined kerosene-type fuels used in commercial and general aviation turbine engines.
Is kerosene and diesel the same?
What is the difference between diesel and kerosene? Diesel is used as fuel and has a solid molecular structure, consisting of 34 hydrogen and 16 carbon atoms. On the other hand, kerosene isn't composed of a rigid structure; rather it is a composition of hydrocarbon chains that go from 12 to 15 carbon atoms.
Is jet fuel a diesel?
Jet-A, the most common type of jet fuel, is made from kerosene and is similar to diesel fuel. Avgas is similar to what you use in your car, but it's not intended for that use.
What is kerosene used for?
What are the uses of kerosene? Kerosene's uses vary dramatically from fuel for oil lamps to cleaning agents, jet fuel, heating oil or fuel for cooking. It can be used safely and efficiently to get great results in many areas.
How much kerosene is consumed in the world?
World total kerosene consumption for all purposes is equivalent to about 190,000 cubic metres per day. To prevent confusion between kerosene and the much more flammable and volatile petrol, some jurisdictions regulate markings or colourings for containers used to store or dispense kerosene.
How is kerosene made?
Kerosene is a low- viscosity, clear liquid formed from hydrocarbons obtained from the fractional distillation of petroleum between 150 and 275 °C (300 and 525 °F), resulting in a mixture with a density of 0.78–0.81 g/cm 3 (0.45–0.47 oz/cu in) composed of carbon chains that typically contain between 10 and 16 carbon atoms per molecule. It is miscible in petroleum solvents but immiscible in water.
What is a kerosene bottle?
A kerosene bottle, containing blue-dyed kerosene. Kerosene is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid which is derived from petroleum. It is widely used as a fuel in aviation as well as households. Its name derives from Greek: κηρός ( keros) meaning " wax ", and was registered as a trademark by Canadian geologist and inventor Abraham Gesner in 1854 ...
How many liters of kerosene is in a gallon?
Premium kerosene is usually sold in 5-or-20-liter (1.1 or 4.4 imp gal; 1.3 or 5.3 U.S. gal) containers from hardware, camping and garden stores and is often dyed purple. Standard kerosene is usually dispensed in bulk by a tanker and is undyed.
What color is kerosene?
For example, in the United States, Pennsylvania requires that portable containers used at retail service stations for kerosene be coloured blue, as opposed to red (for petrol) or yellow (for diesel ).
Why did automobiles run on kerosene?
In Europe following the Second World War, automobiles were similarly modified to run on kerosene rather than gasoline, which they would have to import and pay heavy taxes on. Besides additional piping and the switch between fuels, the head gasket was replaced by a much thicker one to diminish the compression ratio (making the engine less powerful and less efficient, but able to run on kerosene). The necessary equipment was sold under the trademark "Econom".
Where is kerosene found?
The term kerosene is common in much of Argentina, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, and the United States, while the term paraffin (or a closely related variant) is used in Chile, eastern Africa, South Africa, Norway, and in the United Kingdom.
What is the density of kerosene?
According to ASTM D1655 (2004) and IATA specifications (Zabarnick and Widmor 2001; ExxonMobile Aviation 2005), the density of a Jet A / Jet A-1 kerosene fuel must be in the range of 0.775 to 0.840 g/mL and the density of JP-5 kerosene, according to US Navy specification must be in the range of 0.788 to 0.845 g/mL, at 15 ºC. The measurements listed were performed at room temperature. AJF 1, AJF 5, AJF 6, and AJF 8 do not qualify by this specification. In a same class of hydrocarbons, the density increases with the number of carbons.
What are jet fuels made of?
To get a better understanding of the composition of the fuels, a hydrocarbon distribution plot was made, and corresponding results are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. It was observed that the alternative jet fuels tend to concentrate one kind of molecule. For example, AJF 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are basically composed of paraffin, and the content of aromatics is very low. Fuel AJF 1 is rich in aromatic compounds with very low content of paraffins. Jet fuels contain all the groups of compounds. Although high contents of aromatics will increase the formation of soot, aromatics are necessary (until a certain level) to avoid leaks in the seals of fuel systems. The content of aromatics in jet fuels for engine certification is typically between 15 and 23 vol. % (Brem et al 2015). Because some of the alternative Jet fuels tested contain lower quantities of aromatics (sometimes less than 0.5 wt. %), they should be blended with commercial fuels to reach the targeted level. Commercial jet fuels presented a better distribution between the different classes of hydrocarbons, although the fuel CJF 3 did not present n-paraffins in it. It’s important to emphasize that the presence of olefins in jet fuels is undesirable, as these are the most reactive class of hydrocarbons. The compounds selected as representing these peaks were made based on the author’s interpretation of the best fitted spectra. However, the distinction between naphthenes and olefins is especially difficult. Several of the alternative jet fuels studied do not have a balanced composition as such, and therefore they cannot be used alone as fuel. They need to be blended with other AJFs or with CJFs.
What is the flash point of a fuel?
Flash point relates to volatility , hence affects the combustibility of the fuel. It is crucial to determine fire safety in fuel handling. ASTM D1655 (2004) establishes a minimum flash point of 38 °C. This method was performed using the Small Scale Closed-Cup Apparatus, based on ASTM D3278 standard (ASTM D3278 (1996)). A Koehler K16200 instrument was used in the analysis. 2 mL sample was placed in the cup for testing and the initial temperature was set to the expected flash point for each fuel. The test flame was adjusted to a diameter of approximately 4 mm. The ignition source was applied, and when the flash was observed, the sample was cooled down by 5 °C and the flame was again applied every 1 °C after this temperature, until a flame was observed. If the flash was not observed at the first expected flash point, 5°C higher temperature was applied and the same procedure repeated. The temperature at which the flame was observed was recorded. The data collected by AFRL and kindly provided by Dr. Tim Edwards for comparison purposes was obtained by the ASTM D93 method.
What is the maximum amount of water in jet fuel?
The presence of water is undesirable and needs to be quantified. According to ASTM D7566 (2017), the maximum allowed in AJF is 75 ppm. Water content in the jet fuel was measured using Karl Fischer titration with a Mettler Toledo C20 Compact Karl Fischer Coulometer that has a measurement range of 1 ppm to 5% of water in samples (ASTM D6304 (2007)). The data collected by AFRL was also obtained by this method, and it is described in ASTM D6304 (2007).
What are the properties of jet fuels?
The fuels were characterized by GC/MS, SEP-GC/MS (for quantification of oxygenated molecules), viscosity, density, water content, water solubility at 0 °C, carbonyl content, total acid number, elemental composition, calorific value, flash point, differential scanning calorimetry, and surface tension. The content of n-paraffins, iso-paraffins, olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics are reported. The fuel rich in aromatics (AJF 1) has the highest density (0.90 g/mL), C content (over 90 wt. %), and water solubility, lowest calorific value, and high surface tension. The fuels with high contents of light molecules have the lowest flash points (AJFs 1, 6, and 8). AJF 2 is the most viscous fuel due to the presence of a single relatively heavy molecule. The content of oxygenated compounds measured was in all the cases very low and comparable with the amount found in commercial jet fuels. Overall, these fuels comply with most of ASTM requirements and offer opportunities to develop specialized products.
What is the low heating value of jet fuel?
ASTM D1655 (2004) specifies the lower limit for the low heating value (LHV) as 42.8 MJ/kg for Jet A and Jet A-1. The ASTM D4809 (2013) method was followed. An IKA C200 Calorimeter was used in this analysis. The instrument was calibrated by combusting two tablets of certified benzoic acid (IKA C 723, Lot SZBD2180V, gross cal. val 26461 J/g). This process is repeated three times, and the average value obtained is inserted in the instrument for reference. The samples analyzed were prepared using around 4 g of jet fuel and the pressure in the vessel was set to 30 bar (ASTM D4809 (2013)). The heat of combustion data collected by AFRL and kindly provided by Dr. Tim Edwards for comparison purposes was also obtained by the ASTM D4809 (2013) method.
What is the acid number of jet fuel?
Fuel corrosion problems are associated with the presence of acids. According to ASTM D1655 (2004), the acid number of jet fuels should be less than 0.1 mg KOH/g. The method used at WSU to measure acid number is described elsewhere (Christensen et al. 2011; Wu et al. 2014; Shao and Agblevor 2015). Briefly, a Mettler Toledo T50 titrator with a Mettler Toledo Rondolino was used to test the samples. Acetone was used as solvent and 0.1 M KOH in DI water standardized with potassium hydrogen phthalate was used as titrant (Shao and Agblevor 2015). The data collected by the AFRL was obtained following the ASTM D3242 (2001) standard method.
What type of oil is jet fuel?
Jet fuel is a clear to straw-colored fuel, based on either an unleaded kerosene ( Jet A-1), or a naphtha-kerosene blend ( Jet B). Similar to diesel fuel, it can be used in either compression ignition engines or turbine engines.
How much jet fuel is produced from a barrel of oil?
As shown in the figure below, a little more than 19 gallons of gasoline and 10 gallons of diesel fuel are produced from a barrel of crude oil by U.S. refiners. Supporting Information.
What percentage of oil production is used for transport fuel?
In the United States 71 percent of the petroleum products consumed are used in transportation.
How is crude oil refined into jet fuel?
Conventional Jet Fuel Production – The Refining Process In the refinery, crude oil is placed into what is known as a fractionating column, a kind of distillation tower, where it is separated into its major components. The middle distillate, with a boiling point of 250 degrees Celsius, becomes kerosene and petroleum.
What percentage of oil is used for aviation?
The aviation industry represents 7.8% of final oil consumption worldwide, while maritime shipping accounts for 6.7%.
Is jet fuel crude oil?
Jet fuels are primarily derived from crude oil, the common name for liquid petroleum. Jet fuels are typically made by blending and refining various crude oil petroleum distillation products such as naphtha, gasoline, or kerosene in order to meet specific military or commercial specifications (Air Force 1989b).
Is oil actually stored in barrels?
When oil production began, there was no standard container for oil, so oil and petroleum products were stored and transported in barrels of different shapes and sizes. The 40 gallon whiskey barrel was the most common size used by early oil producers, since they were readily available at the time.
Solar kerosene could one day provide aviation with a carbon-neutral fuel
An array of 169 reflectors focus sunlight on a solar reactor at the top of this tower. The light reacts with carbon dioxide and water vapor, forming a mixture that can be turned into kerosene and diesel fuel.
About Nikk Ogasa
Nikk Ogasa is a staff writer who focuses on the physical sciences for Science News. He has a master's degree in geology from McGill University, and a master's degree in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
What percentage of airline fuel costs will be in 2020?
Fuel costs are a significant but highly variable expense for airlines worldwide, constituting 16.4 percent of total expenditure in 2020. This figure decreased due to the coronavirus pandemic.
How does fuel cost affect airline profitability?
For example, a clear correlation can be seen in 2015 between the sharp drop in oil prices and the significant increase in airline profits. Other variable operating expenses affecting airlines’ profitability include labor, aircraft maintenance, and airport usage fees.
Does airline fuel track oil prices?
Consequently, the cost of airline fuel tracks the overall price of crude oil. However, it is common for airlines to hedge fuel purchases, meaning a constant price is agreed in advance for a set period of time.
What fuel does a jet engine use?
Jet engines use a form of kerosene for fuel. They don't use ethanol, which is a type of alcohol.
What jet engines run on gasoline?
Some jets engines were designed to run specifically on gasoline - those jet engines fitted to piston engined aircraft like the B36, Shackleton and Neptune for example. No point in carrying two types of fuel, if both types of engine can use the one fuel is there? On the Neptune, the jet engines were rated for c
Why is high octane gasoline better than other gasolines?
High octane gasoline allowed higher supercharging ratios without blowing up the piston engine, allowing more horsepower for the same weight which meant that your plane was more likely to shoot down the other guy (and not have its engine blow up which a great many did because the engines were always being pushed to the edge.)
What is Jet B?
Jet B, for extreme cold weather use, is a blend of kerosene and gasoline, or kerosene and naphtha.
What is ATF fuel?
Aviation turbine fuel (ATF), most commonly in the grades of Jet A, Jet A-1 or TS-1, is a subset of the broad category “Kerosene”. There are also a number of other grades for specialty applications.
Do you have to go near jet planes to learn ethanol?
For the difference between ethanol and kerosene, you don’t have to even go near jet planes; you have to go and learn chemistry.
Is JP-5 fuel safe?
JP-5, used by the Navy is similar to commercial Jet A fuel, with less gasoline content and a higher flash point, making it a less explosive kind of fuel, safer for carrier use. Because of the added safety factor, JP-5 was an acceptable fuel tank pu

Overview
History
The process of distilling crude oil/petroleum into kerosene, as well as other hydrocarbon compounds, was first written about in the 9th century by the Persian scholar Rāzi (or Rhazes). In his Kitab al-Asrar (Book of Secrets), the physician and chemist Razi described two methods for the production of kerosene, termed naft abyad (نفط ابيض"white naphtha"), using an apparatus calle…
Properties and grades
Kerosene is a low-viscosity, clear liquid formed from hydrocarbons obtained from the fractional distillation of petroleum between 150 and 275 °C (300 and 525 °F), resulting in a mixture with a density of 0.78–0.81 g/cm (0.45–0.47 oz/cu in) composed of carbon chains that typically contain between 6 and 16 carbon atoms per molecule. It is miscible in petroleum solvents but immiscible in water.
Applications
The fuel, also known as heating oil in the UK and Ireland, remains widely used in kerosene lamps and lanterns in the developing world. Although it replaced whale oil, the 1873 edition of Elements of Chemistry said, "The vapor of this substance [kerosene] mixed with air is as explosive as gunpowder." This may have been due to the common practice of adulterating kerosene with cheaper but more v…
Toxicity
The World Health Organization considers kerosene to be a polluting fuel and recommends that “governments and practitioners immediately stop promoting its household use”. Kerosene smoke contains high levels of harmful particulate matter, and household use of kerosene is associated with higher risks of cancer, respiratory infections, asthma, tuberculosis, cataract, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
See also
• Adiabatic flame temperature
• Aviation fuel
• Gasoline gallon equivalent
• Kerosene jet fuel
• List of CO2 emitted per million Btu of energy from various fuels
External links
• "Kerosene", Webster Online Dictionary
• Article on Gesner
• Kerosene Fuel Primer
• San Diego Union-Tribune Article