Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage,^[1] is a flammable hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek "keros" (κηρός wax). Kerosene can be: A flammable liquid: Kerosene A song by Bad Religion: Kerosene (song) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Flammable or Flammability refers to the ease at which a substance will ignite, causing fire or combustion. ... Look up Hydrocarbon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Liquid (disambiguation). ... The Greek language (Greek Ελληνικά, IPA // – Hellenic) is an Indo-European language with a documented history of some 3,000 years. ... candle wax This page is about the substance. ...

It is commonly called paraffin (sometimes paraffin oil) in the UK and South Africa (not to be confused with the waxy solid also called paraffin wax or just paraffin, or the much more viscous paraffin oil used as a laxative); the term kerosene is usual in much of Canada, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.^[2] The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... For other uses, see Paraffin (disambiguation). ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American...

Kerosene is widely used to power jet-engined aircraft, but is also commonly used as a heating fuel. Its heating value, or heat of combustion, is around 18,500 Btu/lb, or 43.1 MJ/kg, making it similar to that of diesel (this is the Lower Heating Value, which assumes that the energy from the condensation of water vapour produced in combustion is lost to the system - in effect, assuming that the combustion products will exit the system at a temperature above the boiling point of water). The Higher Heating Value is 46.2MJ/kg.^[3] A Pratt and Whitney turbofan engine for the F-15 Eagle is tested at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, USA. The tunnel behind the engine muffles noise and allows exhaust to escape. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Heating value. ... The British thermal unit (BTU or Btu) is a unit of energy used in the Power, Steam Generation and Heating and Air Conditioning industry globally. ... Look up pound in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A megajoule (abbreviation: MJ) is a unit of energy equal to 1000000 joules. ... Kg redirects here. ... This article is about the fuel. ... The lower heating value (also known as net calorific value) of a fuel is defined as the amount of heat released by combusting a specified quantity (initially at 25°C) and returning the temperature of the combustion products to 150°C. The lower heating value assumes the latent heat of... The Higher Heating Value (HHV) of a fuel is defined as the amount of heat released by a specified quantity (initially at 25°C) once it is combusted and the reactants have returned to a temperature of 25°C. The Higher Heating Value takes into account the latent heat of...

Distillation

Kerosene is a thin, clear liquid formed from hydrocarbons, with density of 0.78-0.81g/cm³. Kerosene is obtained from the fractional distillation of petroleum between 150 °C and 275 °C, resulting in a mixture of carbon chains containing 12 to 15 carbon atoms. For other uses, see Density (disambiguation). ... Fractional distillation is the separation of a mixture into its component parts, or fractions, such as in separating chemical compounds by their boiling point by heating them to a temperature at which several fractions of the compound will evaporate. ... Petro redirects here. ... For other uses, see Celsius (disambiguation). ...

Kerosene was first described by al-Razi (Rhazes) as a distillation of petroleum in 9th-century Baghdad. In his Kitab al-Asrar (Book of Secrets), he described two methods for the production of kerosene. One method involved using clay as an absorbent, whereas the other method involved using ammonium chloride (sal ammoniac).^[4] In 1807, Kerosene was refined from a naturally-occurring asphaltum called Albertite by Canadian geologist Abraham Gesner, founding the modern petroleum industry in the process. Gesner went on to establish his Kerosene Gaslight Company to market kerosene around the world in 1850. Scottish chemist James Young built the first truly commercial oil-works in the world at Bathgate in 1851, using oil extracted from locally-mined Torbanite, shale, and bituminous coal. Polish chemist Ignacy Łukasiewicz discovered the means of refining kerosene from the less expensive seep oil in 1856. The widespread availability of cheaper kerosene was the principal factor in the precipitous decline in the whaling industry in the mid- to late-19th century, as the leading product of whaling was oil for lamps. For other uses, see Razi. ... Laboratory distillation set-up: 1: Heat source 2: Still pot 3: Still head 4: Thermometer/Boiling point temperature 5: Condenser 6: Cooling water in 7: Cooling water out 8: Distillate/receiving flask 9: Vacuum/gas inlet 10: Still receiver 11: Heat control 12: Stirrer speed control 13: Stirrer/heat plate... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... For other uses, see Clay (disambiguation). ... Absorption has a number of meanings: In physics, absorption is a process in which particles of some sort encounter another material and are taken up by or even disappear in it. ... Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) (also Sal Ammoniac, salmiac, nushadir salt, zalmiak, sal armagnac, sal armoniac, salmiakki, salmiak and salt armoniack) is, in its pure form, a clear white water-soluble crystalline salt of ammonia with a biting, slightly sour taste. ... Year 1807 (MDCCCVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar). ... The term asphalt is often used as an abbreviation for asphalt concrete. ... Albertite is a type of asphalt found in Albert County, New Brunswick. ... Abraham Pineo Gesner, born May 2, 1797 in Cornwallis Township, Nova Scotia, Canada – died April 29, 1864 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, was a physician and geologist who became one of the primary founders of the petroleum industry . ... This article is about the country. ... James Youngs gravestone in Inverkip (photo by Thomas Nugent) James Young (13 July 1811–May 13, 1883), a Scottish chemist, was born in Glasgow, the son of a joiner and carpenter. ... , Bathgate is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, on the M8 motorway five miles west of Livingston. ... Torbanite is a variety of coal, sometimes known as boghead coal. ... Jan Józef Ignacy Łukasiewicz Jan Józef Ignacy Łukasiewicz (1822 - 1882) was a Polish pharmacist and inventor of the first method of distilling kerosene from seep oil. ... A seep is a wet place, where a liquid, usually water, has oozed from the ground to the surface. ... Petro redirects here. ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The crew of the oceanographic research vessel Princesse Alice, of Albert Grimaldi (later Prince Albert I of Monaco) pose while flensing a catch. ...

Uses

Kerosene, which is typically stored in a blue (or blue labeled) container

As a fuel

Heating and Lighting

At one time the fuel was widely used in kerosene lamps and lanterns. While replacing whale oil, it was considered as 'explosive as gunpowder' in 1880, 39% of NYC fires were caused by defective kerosene lamps.^[5] These were superseded by the electric light bulb and flashlights powered by dry cell batteries. Swiss kerosene lamp. ... Whale oil is the oil obtained from the blubber of various species of whales of the genus Balaena, as , Greenland or right whale (northern whale-oil), (southern whale-oil), Balaenoptera longimana, Balaenoptera borealis (Finback oil, Finner whale-oil, Humpback oil). ... A modern black powder substitute for muzzleloading rifles in FFG size Gunpowder (also called black powder) is a pyrotechnic composition, an explosive mixture of sulfur, charcoal and potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre or saltpeter) that burns rapidly, producing volumes of hot solids and gases which can be used as... For the Parliament song, see Flash Light (song). ... A dry cell is a galvanic electrochemical cell with a pasty low-moisture electrolyte. ...

Its use as a cooking fuel is mostly restricted to some portable stoves for backpackers and to less developed countries, where it is usually less refined and contains impurities and even debris. Cooking is the act of preparing food. ... A small portable stove and its container MSR WindPro with skillet, heat reflector, wind shield and isobutane/propane canister A portable stove is a stove specially designed to be portable and lightweight, as for camping. ... This article is about backpacking in the wilderness. ...  Newly industrialized countries  Other emerging markets  Other developing economies  High income  Upper-middle income  Lower-middle income  Low income A developing country is that country which has a relatively low standard of living, an undeveloped industrial base, and a moderate to low Human Development Index (HDI) score and per capita...

As a heating fuel, it is often used in portable stoves, and is sold in some filling stations. It is sometimes used as a heat source during power failures. The use of portable kerosene heaters is not recommended for closed indoor areas without a chimney due to the danger of build-up of carbon monoxide gas. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Look up Chimney in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. ...

Kerosene is widely used in Japan as a home heating fuel for portable and installed kerosene heaters. In Japan, kerosene can be readily bought at any filling station or be delivered to homes. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

In the United Kingdom and Ireland kerosene is often used as both a cooking and heating fuel in areas where there is a limited gas supply. For other uses, see Natural gas (disambiguation). ...

The Amish, who limit use of electric appliances for religious reasons, rely on kerosene for lighting and often purchase kerosene-powered versions of appliances such as refrigerators. This article is about Old Order Amish, but also refers to other Amish sects. ... Refrigeration (from the Latin frigus, frost) is generally the cooling of a body by the transfer of a portion of its heat away from it. ...

More ubiquitous in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, kerosene space heaters were often built into kitchen ranges and kept many farm and fishing families warm and dry through the winter. At one time citrus growers used smudge pots fueled by kerosene to create a pall of thick smoke over a grove in an effort to prevent freezing temperatures from damaging crops. "Salamanders" were kerosene space heaters used on construction sites to dry out building materials and to warm workers. Before the days of blinking electrically lighted road barriers, highway construction zones were marked at night by kerosene fired pot-bellied torches. Most of these uses of kerosene created thick black smoke because of the low temperature of combustion. A kerosene heater is a portable unvented kerosene fueled space heating device. ... Smudge Pot A smudge pot is an oil-burning device used to prevent frost on fruit trees. ...

A notable exception, discovered in the early 19th century, is the use of a mantle above the wick on a kerosene lamp. Looking like a delicate woven bag above the woven cotton wick, the mantle was a residue of mineral material (thorium dioxide) which glowed white hot as it burned the volatile gases emanating from the blue flame at the base of the wick. These types of lamps are still in use today in areas of the world without electricity. For other uses of mantle see: mantle (disambiguation) An incandescent gas mantle, gas mantle, or Welsbach mantle is a device for generating bright white light when heated by a flame. ... General Name, Symbol, Number thorium, Th, 90 Chemical series Actinides Group, Period, Block n/a, 7, f Appearance silvery white Standard atomic weight 232. ...

Transportation

Today, kerosene is mainly used in fuel for jet engines (more technically Avtur, Jet-A, Jet-A1, Jet-B, JP-4, JP-5, JP-7 or JP-8). One form of the fuel known as RP-1 is burned with liquid oxygen as rocket fuel. These fuel grade kerosenes meet specifications for smoke points and freeze points. Jet fuel is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in jet-engined aircraft. ... An aviation fuel truck. ... JP-5, or JP5 (for Jet Propellant) is a jet fuel with a high flash point (min. ... JP-7 (Jet Propellant 7, MIL-T-38219) is a jet fuel developed by the U.S. Air Force for use in supersonic aircraft because of its high flashpoint and thermal stability. ... JP-8, or JP8 (for Jet Propellant) is a jet fuel, specified in 1990 by the U.S. government. ... RP-1 (alternately, Rocket Propellant-1 or Refined Petroleum-1) is a highly refined form of kerosene outwardly similar to jet fuel, used in the United States as a rocket fuel. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The smoke point refers to the point in which a cooking fat or oil is heated until it breaks down. ... The melting point of a crystalline solid is the temperature at which it changes state from solid to liquid. ...

In the mid-20th century, kerosene or "TVO" (Tractor Vaporising Oil) was used as a cheap fuel for tractors. The engine would start on gasoline, then switch over to kerosene once the engine warmed up. A "heat valve" on the manifold would route the exhaust gases around the intake pipe, heating the kerosene to the point where it can be ignited by an electrical spark. Tractor vaporising oil is an internal combustion engine fuel that was commonly used for tractors in the UK until diesel engines became commonplace TVO was withdrawn from sale by UK suppliers in 1974. ...

Kerosene is sometimes used as an additive in diesel fuel to prevent gelling or waxing in cold temperatures.^{[citation needed]}

Cooking

In countries such as India and Japan, kerosene is the main fuel used for cooking, especially by the poor. Kerosene stoves have replaced the traditional wood-based cooking appliances that are unhealthy and inefficient. The price of kerosene can be a major political issue; the Indian government subsidizes the fuel to keep the price very low (around 15 cents/liter as of Feb.2007).

Cultural/Performance Art

Kerosene is also used for fire performances such as poi and staff because of its low flame temperature when burnt in free air, making the fire low risk, should the performer come in contact with the flame. Poi dance, by Manutuke School at Hopuhopu, New Zealand, 2003 Poi is a form of juggling Impartial Art [1] (Finnigan, 1992) with balls on ropes, held in the hands and swung in various circular patterns, similar to club-twirling. ...

Kerosene is often used in the entertainment industry, as a fuel for fire dancing. Kerosene is not usually used as a fuel for indoor fire-dancing as it produces an unpleasant odour which becomes, in sufficient concentration, poisonous. In general such use of fire indoors is not common. Methanol is often used instead, but it can be a more dangerous fuel because of its lower flash point, and it also produces less "impressive" flames. A fire twirler with staff A firedancer with poi A fire dancer juggling torches in a cascade pattern. ... Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, carbinol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical compound with chemical formula CH3OH (often abbreviated MeOH). ... For other uses, see Flash point (disambiguation). ...

Other

Kerosene has been used to treat pools of standing water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding, notably in the yellow fever outbreak of 1905 in New Orleans. It can also be used to remove lice from hair, but this practice is painful and potentially very dangerous. Also, this would wash out all natural oil & fats from the hair and scalp. This article is about the insect; for the WWII aircraft see De Havilland Mosquito. ... For other uses, see 1905 (disambiguation). ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Suborders Anoplura (sucking lice) Rhyncophthirina Ischnocera (avian lice) Amblycera (chewing lice) Lice (singular: louse) (order Phthiraptera) are an order of over 3000 species of wingless parasitic insects. ...

Since kerosene is chemically stable, it is used to store substances with redox tendencies within to prevent unwanted reactions, such as alkali metals. Kerosene is also used in the packaging and storage of white phosphorus to prevent immediate combustion on contact with oxygen. ed|other uses|reduction}} Illustration of a redox reaction Redox (shorthand for reduction/oxidation reaction) describes all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation number (oxidation state) changed. ... The alkali metals are a series of elements comprising Group 1 (IUPAC style) of the periodic table: lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), caesium (Cs), and francium (Fr). ... White phosphorus is a flare / smoke producing incendiary weapon,[1] or smoke-screening agent, made from a common allotrope of the chemical element phosphorus. ...

Kerosene can be used to store crystals. When a water-soluble crystal is left in air, dehydration may occur slowly. This makes the colour of the crystal become dull. Kerosene can prevent the crystal contacting air. Crystal (disambiguation) Insulin crystals A crystal is a solid in which the constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are packed in a regularly ordered, repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. ... Dehydration (hypohydration) is the removal of water (hydro in ancient Greek) from an object. ...

It is used as a solvent and in conjunction with cutting oil as a thread cutting and reaming lubricant. When machining aluminium and its alloys, kerosene on its own is an excellent cutting lubricant. For other uses, see Solvent (disambiguation). ... Cutting fluid or coolant is liquid used to cool and lubricate the cutting edges of machine tools and the pieces they are shaping. ... A lubricant (colloquially, lube) is a substance (often a liquid) introduced between two moving surfaces to reduce the friction and wear between them. ...

See also

• Tractor vaporising oil

Tractor vaporising oil is an internal combustion engine fuel that was commonly used for tractors in the UK until diesel engines became commonplace TVO was withdrawn from sale by UK suppliers in 1974. ...

References

The Oxford English Dictionary print set The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a dictionary published by the Oxford University Press (OUP), and is the most successful dictionary of the English language, (not to be confused with the one-volume Oxford Dictionary of English, formerly New Oxford Dictionary of English, of... Sather tower (the Campanile) looking out over the San Francisco Bay and Mount Tamalpais. ... Saudi Aramco World is a bi-motnhly magazine published by Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia. ...

External links

Look up kerosene in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Webster Online Dictionary Entry on Kerosene
• Article on Gesner
• Kerosene Fuel Primer