The heat of combustion, also known as the calorific value or energy content of a fuel, represents the amount of energy released when a specific quantity of fuel undergoes complete combustion. It’s a crucial parameter in aircraft design and is used to estimate the energy available from a given fuel source.
The formula for the heat of combustion can be defined as:
- Heat of Combustion is the energy released per unit mass of fuel burned, typically measured in joules per kilogram (J/kg) or British thermal units per pound (BTU/lb).
- Energy Released is the total energy liberated during the combustion process, often measured in joules (J) or British thermal units (BTU).
- Mass of Fuel Burned is the quantity of fuel consumed during combustion, measured in kilograms (kg) or pounds (lb).