fuel
Quick Summary
The term "fuel" broadly refers to any material that can be consumed to produce energy. This includes traditional fossil fuels like petroleum, coal, and natural gas, which are derived from ancient organic matter and are non-renewable.1
In contrast, biofuels are derived from recently living organisms, such as plants or animal waste, making them a renewable energy source. Examples include ethanol, produced from crops like corn or sugarcane, and biodiesel, made from vegetable oils.2
Another category is fuel cells, which convert chemical energy directly into electricity through electrochemical reactions, often using hydrogen as a fuel.3
Technological advancements have focused on improving fuel efficiency and developing new fuel types. For instance, petroleum refining processes like thermal and catalytic cracking were developed to increase the yield of lighter, more valuable fuels like gasoline from heavier crude oil fractions. The development of cellulosic ethanol represents a move towards using non-food biomass for biofuel production, aiming to mitigate the "food versus fuel" debate.45
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natural gasApplications…natural gas is as a fuel for electric power generation. Power generation is followed by industrial, domestic, and commercial uses—mainly as a source of energy but also, for instance, as a feedstock for chemical products. Several specialized applications have developed over the years. The clean-burning characteristics of natural gas have…
Read More…natural gas is as a fuel for electric power generation. Power generation is followed by industrial, domestic, and commercial uses—mainly as a source of energy but also, for instance, as a feedstock for chemical products. Several specialized applications have developed over the years. The clean-burning characteristics of natural gas have…
Read More- natural gasNatural gas as a premium fuel
As recently as 1960, associated gas was a nuisance by-product of oil production in many areas of the world. The gas was separated from the crude oil stream and eliminated as cheaply as possible, often by flaring (burning it off). Only after the crude…
Read MoreAs recently as 1960, associated gas was a nuisance by-product of oil production in many areas of the world. The gas was separated from the crude oil stream and eliminated as cheaply as possible, often by flaring (burning it off). Only after the crude…
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carburetor…engine with a mixture of fuel and air. Components of carburetors usually include a storage chamber for liquid fuel, a choke, an idling (or slow-running) jet, a main jet, a venturi-shaped air-flow restriction, and an accelerator pump. The quantity of fuel in the storage chamber is controlled by a valve…
Read More…engine with a mixture of fuel and air. Components of carburetors usually include a storage chamber for liquid fuel, a choke, an idling (or slow-running) jet, a main jet, a venturi-shaped air-flow restriction, and an accelerator pump. The quantity of fuel in the storage chamber is controlled by a valve…
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automobileFuelSpecially formulated gasoline is essentially the only fuel used for automobile operation, although diesel fuels are used for many trucks and buses and a few automobiles, and compressed liquefied hydrogen has been used experimentally. The most important requirements of a fuel for automobile use…
Read MoreSpecially formulated gasoline is essentially the only fuel used for automobile operation, although diesel fuels are used for many trucks and buses and a few automobiles, and compressed liquefied hydrogen has been used experimentally. The most important requirements of a fuel for automobile use…
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launch vehicleFuelThe fuel used to power rockets can be divided into two broad categories: liquid and solid. Liquid fuels can range from a widely available substance such as ordinary kerosene, which can be used at ground temperature, to liquid hydrogen, which must be maintained at…
Read MoreThe fuel used to power rockets can be divided into two broad categories: liquid and solid. Liquid fuels can range from a widely available substance such as ordinary kerosene, which can be used at ground temperature, to liquid hydrogen, which must be maintained at…
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borane…supported programs to develop high-energy fuels for rockets and jet aircraft. (Boranes and their derivatives have much higher heats of combustion than hydrocarbon fuels.) William Nunn Lipscomb, Jr., received the 1976 Nobel Prize for Chemistry “for his studies on the structure of boranes illuminating problems of chemical bonding,” while one…
Read More…supported programs to develop high-energy fuels for rockets and jet aircraft. (Boranes and their derivatives have much higher heats of combustion than hydrocarbon fuels.) William Nunn Lipscomb, Jr., received the 1976 Nobel Prize for Chemistry “for his studies on the structure of boranes illuminating problems of chemical bonding,” while one…
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