Question

Write characteristics of an ideal fuel.

Answer 1

Hint: A fuel is any compound which has stored energy. An ideal fuel can be characterised based like their ease of availability, cost, usage efficiency etc..

Complete step by step solution:
Characteristics of an ideal fuel are:
(i) An ideal fuel is readily available.
Easy / readily availability refers to the fact that it should be easily available in the market. So, that whenever the consumer is in need of it, it should be available in the market.
(ii) An ideal fuel is cheap.
Ideal fuel should be at affordable rates. People should be able to buy the fuel whenever they are in need of it.
(iii) An ideal fuel burns easily in the air at a moderate rate. This refers to the high calorific value. If a fuel is having high calorific value, it can be burnt in high efficacy.
(iv) Its ignition temperature should be above the room temperature. It should not burn readily at normal / room temperatures. It should burn only when a certain energy is provided to it.
(v) It releases a large amount of energy.
This reveals that it should be highly efficient for usage.
(vi) It should not leave behind any undesirable substances which can be harmful to us.
Bi-products released after the combustion of that fuel should be eco-friendly.
(vii) It should not affect the environment adversely.
As we need to use things without having adverse effects on nature, it should be eco-friendly.

Additional Information:
Each fuel releases its own set of energy i.e. all of them do not release the same amount of energy upon combustion. The energy produced by combustion of one kg of fuel is known as its calorific value.
And this calorific value can be related to the usage efficiency of the fuel.
Fuels can be generally classified into two factors:

(A) On the basis of their fuels state:
(i) Solid Fuels
(ii) Liquid Fuels
(iii) Gaseous Fuels

(B) On the basis of their occurrence:
(i)Natural Fuels
(ii)Artificial Fuels
Natural gas is one of the fuel most closest to the ideal fuel because of its characteristics.

Note: In actual practice, it is difficult to get 100% ideal fuel. The word ideal describes this ultimate standard for excellence, or something that exists only as an idea.