11 September 2018

Advantages and disadvantages of gaseous fuel

Gaseous fuels are hydrocarbons, hydrogen and carbon monoxide mixtures present in a gaseous state that form the basis of potential heat energy or light energy that can be easily disseminated through pipes from source to place of consumption. Let us have a deep insight into the pros and cons of gaseous fuel in this article. 

Advantages of Gaseous fuels :

  • They can be conveyed easily through a pipeline to the actual place of need that is the main reason for eliminating the manual labour cost in transportation.
  • They can be lighted at moment's notice.
  • They have high heat content and hence, help us in having high temperatures.
  • They can be pre-heated by the heat of hot waste gases, thereby affording the economy in heat.
  • Their combustion can readily be controlled for changes in demand like oxidizing or reducing atmosphere, length of flame etc.
  • They burn without any smoke.
  • They are ashless so there is no labour involved in ash handling.
  • They are clean in use.
  • They do not require any special burners.
  • They can be produced by using even the poorest quantity of coal.
  • They burn without heat loss, due to convection currents.
  • They burn in slight excess of air supply.
  • They are free from solid and liquid impurities.
  • Complete combustion without pollution is possible due to the uniform mixing of air and fuel.
  • They have high calorific value as well.
  • They can also be used in internal combustion engine fuels.

Disadvantages of Gaseous fuels :

  • Very large storage tank needed for them.
  • They are highly inflammable, so chances of fire hazards are high in their use.
  • They are more costly as compared with solid and liquid fuels.
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