How Does Kerosene Work? Key Facts and Common Uses Explained
Kerosene, or spelled kerosine is also called paraffin oil or paraffin or kerosene oil, is a flammable hydrocarbon liquid used commonly as a fuel. Typically, Kerosene looks pale yellow or colorless and exhibits a not-unpleasant characteristic odor. It is obtained from petroleum and can be used for burning in kerosene lamps and furnaces or domestic heaters, as a fuel component or fuel for jet engines, and as a solvent for insecticides and greases.
About Kerosene Oil
It was discovered in the late 1840s by a Canadian physician named Abraham Gesner. Initially, Kerosene was manufactured from shale oils and coal tar. However, in 1859, following the first oil well drilling in Pennsylvania by E.L. Drake, petroleum quickly became the primary source of Kerosene. Due to its use in lamps, Kerosene was considered as the major refinery product for many decades until the advent of the electric lamp reduced its lighting value. And, the production further declined as the rise of the automobile established gasoline as an essential petroleum product. Nevertheless, in several parts of the world, still, Kerosene is a common cooking fuel and heating fuel for lamps. Standard commercial jet fuel is importantly high-quality straight-run kerosene, and several military jet fuels are blends based on the kerosene chemical.
Properties of Kerosene
Chemically, Kerosene is a mixture of hydrocarbons. The chemical composition completely depends upon its source, however, it usually consists of about 10 different hydrocarbons, each containing ranging from 10 to 16 carbon atoms per molecule. The saturated straight-chain and branched-chain paraffin and ring-shaped cycloparaffin are the main components (which is also known as naphthenes). Kerosene is less volatile than gasoline. Its flash point (the temperature, where it generates a flammable vapor near to its surface) is 38 °C or higher, whereas that of gasoline is as low as −40 °C. This property makes Kerosene a relatively safe fuel to store and handle.
Kerosene oil is known to be one of the so-called middle distillates of crude oil along with diesel fuel, with a boiling point between around 150 and 300 °C. It can be formed as "straight-run kerosene," which is physically separated from the other crude oil fractions by distillation, or it can be formed as "cracked kerosene," by cracking, or chemically decomposing the heavier oil portions at elevated temperatures.
Illuminating Oil From Coal and Oil Shale
Although "coal oil" was well known by industrial chemists at least as early as the 1700s as a byproduct of making coal tar and coal gas, it burned with a smoky flame that can prevent its use for indoor illumination. In cities, most of the indoor illumination was provided by piped-in coal gas. Whereas, for spotlighting within the cities and outside the cities, the lucrative market for fueling indoor lamps was supplied by whale oil, particularly that from sperm whales, which burned cleaner and brighter.
Kerosene From Petroleum
Samuel Martin Kier began selling lamp oil in 1851 to local miners, in the name of "Carbon Oil". He distilled this using a process on his own invention from the crude oil. He also invented a new lamp that helps to burn his product. He has been dubbed the American Oil Industry's Grandfather by historians. The salt of Kier wells was becoming fouled with petroleum since the 1840s. At first, Kier just dumped the useless oil into the nearby Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, but later, he began experimenting with multiple crude oil distillates, along with a chemist from eastern Pennsylvania.
Applications of Kerosene
As Fuel
Heating and Lighting
The fuel, which is also called heating oil in Ireland and the UK, remains widely used in lanterns and kerosene lamps in the developing world. Although it replaced the whale oil, the Elements of Chemistry edition in 1873 said, "The vapor of kerosene substance mixed with air is explosive, the same as gunpowder." This may have been because of the widespread method of adulterating Kerosene with hydrocarbon mixtures, such as naphtha, that are cheaper but more volatile. In 1880, Kerosene was a significant fire risk, where nearly two of every five New York City fires were caused by defective kerosene lamps.
Cooking
In countries such as Nigeria and India, Kerosene is the essential fuel used for cooking, especially by the poor. Also, Kerosene stoves have replaced the appliances of traditional wood-based cooking. As such, an increase in kerosene prices can have a primary environmental and political consequence. Also, the Indian government subsidizes the fuel to keep the price low, to around 15 US cents per liter as per 2007, February, as lower price discourages the dismantling of forests for cooking fuel. In Nigeria, an attempt made by the government to remove a fuel subsidy, including Kerosene, met with strong opposition.
Engines
Kerosene or tractor vaporizing oil (TVO) was used in the early to mid-20th century as a cheap fuel for tractors and hit 'n miss engines. These engines would start on gasoline; then, it switches over to Kerosene once the engine warmed up. On a few generators, by heating kerosene to its vaporized point, a heat valve on the manifold will route exhaust gases near the intake pipe which could be ignited by an electric spark.
FAQs on Kerosene: Meaning, Properties, and Applications
1. What is kerosene and where does it come from?
Kerosene, also known as paraffin, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid obtained from the fractional distillation of petroleum. It is a clear, thin, oily liquid that consists of a mixture of hydrocarbon chains, typically containing between 10 and 16 carbon atoms per molecule. In the distillation process, it is collected as a fraction that is heavier than petrol but lighter than diesel fuel.
2. What are the key physical and chemical properties of kerosene?
Kerosene has several distinct properties that determine its uses. Key properties include:
- Appearance: It is a clear or pale yellow, oily liquid with a characteristic odour.
- Boiling Point: It has a specific boiling range, typically between 150°C and 275°C (302°F and 527°F).
- Density: Its density is around 0.78–0.81 g/cm³, which means it is less dense than water and will float on top of it.
- Combustibility: It is a combustible liquid that burns stably, making it a relatively safe fuel for lamps and heaters compared to more volatile options like gasoline.
3. Does kerosene have a single chemical formula?
No, kerosene does not have a single chemical formula because it is a mixture of different hydrocarbons, not a pure compound. It is a petroleum fraction composed of various alkanes and cycloalkanes, with carbon chains typically ranging from C10 to C16. While a representative formula like C₁₂H₂₆ (dodecane) is sometimes used for calculations, the exact composition varies based on the crude oil source.
4. What are the most common uses of kerosene?
Kerosene is a versatile fuel with several major applications. The most common examples include:
- Lighting & Heating: It is widely used as a fuel in kerosene lamps (hurricanes) and portable space heaters, especially in regions with limited access to electricity.
- Aviation Fuel: A highly refined grade of kerosene is the primary fuel for jet aircraft engines due to its high energy density and low freezing point.
- Cooking: In many parts of the world, kerosene is used as a primary fuel for cooking on portable kerosene stoves.
- Solvent: It serves as an effective solvent for removing grease and oil from metal parts and can be used as a thinner for certain oil-based paints.
5. How is kerosene separated from crude oil?
Kerosene is separated from crude oil through a process called fractional distillation. In a large refining tower, crude oil is heated to very high temperatures, causing it to vaporise. As the hot vapour rises up the tower, it gradually cools. Different fractions condense back into liquid at different temperatures and heights. Kerosene, with its intermediate boiling point, condenses in the middle section of the tower, below the lighter fractions like petrol but above the heavier fractions like diesel oil.
6. How does kerosene compare to petrol (gasoline) and diesel?
Kerosene, petrol, and diesel are all fuel fractions from crude oil but have important differences:
- Boiling Point: Petrol has the lowest boiling range (40°C-205°C), followed by kerosene (150°C-275°C), and then diesel, which has the highest (250°C-350°C).
- Carbon Chain Length: Petrol is made of shorter hydrocarbon chains (C5-C12), kerosene is in the middle (C10-C16), and diesel has longer chains (C14-C20).
- Volatility: Petrol is highly volatile and evaporates quickly, kerosene is less volatile and oily, and diesel is the least volatile of the three.
- Engine Use: Petrol is for spark-ignition engines, diesel for compression-ignition engines, and kerosene is primarily for jet engines and lamps.
7. Why is kerosene an ideal fuel for jet engines but not for cars?
Kerosene is ideal for jet engines because it has a very high energy density, meaning it provides a large amount of energy per unit of weight, which is crucial for flight. Its lower freezing point is also vital for aircraft operating at high, cold altitudes. However, it is not suitable for standard car engines, which are designed for the high volatility and octane rating of petrol to prevent engine 'knocking'. Using kerosene in a petrol engine would lead to poor performance and severe engine damage.
8. What are the main safety precautions for handling kerosene?
Handling kerosene requires care due to its flammability and toxicity. The most important safety measures are:
- Storage: Store kerosene in a clearly labelled, approved container, away from heat, sparks, and open flames.
- Ventilation: Always ensure proper ventilation when using kerosene-burning appliances like lamps or heaters indoors to prevent the build-up of harmful fumes like carbon monoxide.
- Handling: Avoid skin contact by wearing gloves and prevent ingestion, as it is highly toxic if swallowed. Never use kerosene for unproven home remedies.
