WOODGAS

 
FUEL DENSITIES
 

Home
Biomass Energy
Gasification & Reforming
Liquid Fuels
Wood Cooking
Energy Rosetta Stone
Bookstore
About the BEF
Links

Become a Member
of the Biomass Energy Foundation

 

 

 

  

We usually find the mass energy content of fuels tabulated on an energy/mass basis.  Yet the energy/volume is often equally important for shipment, storage and use.  This table includes the densities of various fuels and calculates the volumetric energy density.   

 

                                                          
  FUEL PROPERTIES:  From Reed, Jamie & Andries         LHV-base HHV-base LHV-base HHV-base LHV-base LHV-base LHV-base HHV-base HHV-base HHV-base
    Mass        Mass Volumetric Volumetric Relative Relative Relative Relative Relative Relative        
ref nr FUEL TYPE Density Moisture Ash* Energy Density Energy Density Energy Density Mass Bulk Vol. Bulk Vol. Mass Bulk Vol. Bulk Vol. Unit** Cost Co2 Emissions      
  kg/m3 % MC % MJ/kg or GJ/ton GJ/m3 GJ/m3 Ener. Dsy Ener.Dsy Multiplier Ener. Dsy Ener.Dsy Multiplier Cost $ $/Gj kg/Gj1 kg/Gj2
  solid bulk         Solid bulk Solid bulk (to coal AW) (to coal AW) (to coal AW) (to coal TR) (to coal TR) (to coal TR)    
                   
1 Brown Coal - VIC 1120 860 62.5 2 8.0 9.0 6.9     0.33 0.34 2.97 5/t 0.63 93.3 87.7
2 Black Coal - NSW 1450 940 8 22 24.0 34.8 22.6     1.00 1.11 0.90 30/t 1.25 90.7 89.4
3 Petrol   n/a <1 <1 34.2/l         0.73/l 21.35 71.3
4 Auto Diesel 842 n/a <1 <1 45.7 38.5       1.90 0.74/l 19.25 69.7 74.9
5 LPG   n/a <1 <1 26.2/l           59.4 64.7
6 Natural Gas n/a n/a <1 <1 37.2/l         n/a 13.81 50.9 59.4
7 Sawdust (wet) 1100 367 50% <1 variable 11.85 13.0 4.3     0.49 0.21 4.69 20/t 1.69 90.0  
8 Sawdust (air dry) 800 267 10% <1 variable 17.06 13.6 4.6     0.71 0.22 4.48 20/t   90.0  
9 Woodchips (wet) 1100 550 50% <1 variable 11.85 13.0 6.5     0.49 0.32 3.13 35/t 2.95 90.0  
10 Woodchips (forest dry) 800 400 10% <1 variable 17.06 13.6 6.8     0.71 0.33 2.99 35/t   90.0  
11 Wood Pellets n/a 705 6+- 2% 0.33 to 1 19.75   13.9     0.82 0.68 1.47 165/t 8.35 90.0  
12 US Forest Residues n/a 340 50% <1 variable 11.6   3.9     0.48 0.19 5.17 38/t 1.64 90.0  
13 Bagasse (wet)   50%   8.2         0.34    
14 Bagasse (air dry)   13%   16.2         0.68    
15 Charcoal   5%   30         1.25    
16 Torrefied Wood 600 300 10% <1 variable 21.5 12.9 6.5     0.90 0.32 3.16 n/a    
                   
17 Internatl steam coal   850     24   20.4     1.00 1.00 1.00    
18 Loose saw dust (dry)   200     18   3.6     0.75 0.18 5.67    
19 Wood pellets (dry) 1300 650     18 23.4 11.7     0.75 0.57 1.74    
20 Torrefied pellets 1300 650 3%   22 28.6 14.3     0.92 0.70 1.43    
                     
21 softwood chips (dry)   190 7%     20       3.8 0.62 0.11 9.42    
22 HD 1/4"sawdust pellets   680     20       13.6 0.62 0.38 2.63    
23 3/8" peanut shell pellets   650     19.8       12.9 0.61 0.36 2.78    
24 Corn   760     19       14.4 0.58 0.40 2.48    
25 Soybeans   770     21       16.2 0.65 0.45 2.21    
26 Coconut shells 1/4"   540     20.5       11.1 0.63 0.31 3.23    
27 Coal bitumous   1100     32.5       35.8 1.00 1.00 1.00    
28 Biodiesel 920     41.2     37.9   1.27    
29 Diesel 880     45.7     40.2   1.41    
                                         
* Percentages by weight.
Mass energy density (in MJ/kg or GJ/ton) and Solid and Bulk Volumetric density (in GJ/m3) on Low Heat Value or High Heat Value
Costs - Unit cost for Black and Brown coal from Brockway (1997).
  Energy density - effects volume of throughput required, storage, cost of transport per btu etc 
Figures for Wood Pellets based on 8500 btu/lb.  Wood pellets range in energy from just under 8000 to almost 9000 btu/lb.