ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the properties of natural gas and liquefied petroleum gases when used in heating processes. In view of the widespread use of dual-fuel burners, fuel oil combustion properties are covered. The commodity which is distributed throughout Britain as a gaseous fuel is natural gas. The natural gas is used to describe the flammable gas which is derived from the earth's crust, usually from deep boreholes and frequently in association with crude petroleum. Combustion is a chemical reaction involving the combination of fuel and oxygen to produce heat and combustion products. Some industrial burners may operate at air/gas ratios which are extremely close to the theoretically correct value but the majority of burners require a measure of air in excess of the stoichiometric quantity to ensure that combustion is carried to completion. The burning velocity of a gaseous fuel is the rate at which the flame front travels through a completely self-burning mixture of gas and air.
