ASTM D4868-17 - 1.1.2017
 
Significance and Use

4.1 This test method is intended for use in cases where an experimental determination of heat of combustion is not available and cannot be made conveniently, and where an estimate is considered satisfactory. It is not intended as a substitute for experimental measurement of heat of combustion.

 
1. Scope

1.1 This test method covers the estimation of the gross and net heat of combustion in SI units, megajoules per kilogram, of hydrocarbon fuels and blendstocks from the fuel density and sulfur, water, and ash contents.

1.1.1 This test method is not applicable to fuels containing non-hydrocarbons such as alcohols (for example, ethanol, methanol), ethers (for example, MTBE), or esters (for example, biodiesel).

Note 1: The equation for estimation of net and gross heat of combustion used in this method was originally published as NBS Miscellaneous Publication No. 97.

1.2 This test method is especially useful for estimating, using a minimum number of tests, the heat of combustion of burner and diesel fuels (which do not contain non-hydrocarbon components) for which it is not usually critical to obtain very precise heat determinations.

Note 2: More accurate estimation methods are available for aviation fuels (Test Methods D1405, D4529,and D3338). However, those estimation methods require additional tests to those required in this test method.

1.3 This test method is purely empirical (Note 1). It was derived using liquid hydrocarbon fuels produced by normal refining processes from conventional crude oil that conform to the requirements of specifications for petroleum fuels as described in Note 3. This test method is valid for those fuels in the density range from 750 kg/m3 to 1000 kg/m3 and those that do not contain an unusually high aromatic content. High aromatic content fuels will not normally meet some fuel specification criteria.

Note 3: The estimation of the heat of combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel from its density and sulfur, water, and ash content is justifiable only when the fuel belongs to well-defined classes for which a relationship between these quantities have been derived from accurate experimental measurements on representative samples of these classes. Even in these classes, the possibility that the estimate can be in error for individual fuels should be recognized. This test method has been tested for a limited number of fuels from oil sand bitumen and shale oil origin and has been found to be valid. The classes of fuels used to establish the correlation presented in this test method are represented by the following applications:

Fuel (not applicable to any fuels containing non-hydrocarbon components)

Specification

Fuel Oils

 

Grades No. 1, 2, 4 (light), 4, 5 (light), 5 (heavy), and 6

D396

Diesel

 

Grades No. 1-D, 2-D, and 4-D

D975

Aviation Turbine

 

Jet A and Jet A-1

D1655

Jet B

D6615

Gas Turbine

 

Grades No. 0-GT, 1-GT, 2-GT, 3-GT, and 4-GT

D2880

Kerosene

 

Grades No. 1-K and 2-K

D3699

1.4 This test method is not applicable to pure hydrocarbon compounds. It is not intended as a substitute for highly accurate experimental measurements of heat of combustion (Note 4).

Note 4: The procedures for the experimental determination of the gross and net heats of combustion are described in Test Methods D240 and D4809.

1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

 
2. Referenced Documents

D1266-18

Standard Test Method for Sulfur in Petroleum Products (Lamp Method) (Withdrawn 2025)

D975-26c

Standard Specification for Diesel Fuel (Includes all amendments and changes 7/20/2026).

D2880-23

Standard Specification for Gas Turbine Fuel Oils

D2622-26

Standard Test Method for Sulfur in Petroleum Products by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

D1796-22

Standard Test Method for Water and Sediment in Fuel Oils by the Centrifuge Method (Laboratory Procedure)

D1744-13

Standard Test Method for Determination of Water in Liquid Petroleum Products by Karl Fischer Reagent (Withdrawn 2016)

D1655-26b

Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuels (Includes all amendments and changes 8/10/2026).

D1552-23

Standard Test Method for Sulfur in Petroleum Products by High Temperature Combustion and Infrared (IR) Detection or Thermal Conductivity Detection (TCD)

D1481-17

Standard Test Method for Density and Relative Density (Specific Gravity) of Viscous Materials by Lipkin Bicapillary Pycnometer (Withdrawn 2023)

D1480-21

Standard Test Method for Density and Relative Density (Specific Gravity) of Viscous Materials by Bingham Pycnometer

D1405-01

Standard Test Method for Estimation of Net Heat of Combustion of Aviation Fuels

D1298-24

Standard Test Method for Density, Relative Density, or API Gravity of Crude Petroleum and Liquid Petroleum Products by Hydrometer Method

D4052-22

Standard Test Method for Density, Relative Density, and API Gravity of Liquids by Digital Density Meter

D4294-24

Standard Test Method for Sulfur in Petroleum and Petroleum Products by Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

D3699-25

Standard Specification for Kerosine

D3338-08

Standard Test Method for Estimation of Net Heat of Combustion of Aviation Fuels

D95-23e1

Standard Test Method for Water in Petroleum Products and Bituminous Materials by Distillation (Includes all amendments and changes 10/25/2024).

D482-25

Standard Test Method for Ash from Petroleum Products

D396-26a

Standard Specification for Fuel Oils (Includes all amendments and changes 4/14/2026).

D240-25

Standard Test Method for Heat of Combustion of Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels by Bomb Calorimeter

D129-18

Standard Test Method for Sulfur in Petroleum Products (General High Pressure Decomposition Device Method) (Withdrawn 2023)

D5453-25

Standard Test Method for Determination of Total Sulfur in Light Hydrocarbons, Spark Ignition Engine Fuel, Diesel Engine Fuel, and Engine Oil by Ultraviolet Fluorescence

D4809-25

Standard Test Method for Heat of Combustion of Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels by Bomb Calorimeter (Precision Method)

D4529-24

Standard Test Method for Estimation of Net Heat of Combustion of Aviation Fuels