1.
🔥 FUELS & COMBUSTION
🔹 1️⃣ FUEL — DEFINITION
Fuel is a substance that produces heat and/or light energy on burning
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
Fuels are used for energy production in homes, industries and transport
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
🔹 2️⃣ CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD (IDEAL) FUEL
(RRB DIRECT THEORY)
A good fuel should have:
High calorific value
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
Moderate ignition temperature
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
Less smoke and harmful gases
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
No residue or ash after burning
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
Easy storage and transport
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
🔹 3️⃣ CALORIFIC VALUE (उष्मा मान)
Calorific value = heat produced when 1 g of fuel is completely burnt
(~6× → JE 3 | NTPC 2 | GD 1)
Units:
o Fuel → kJ/g or MJ/kg
o Food → kcal/g
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
Bomb calorimeter is used to measure calorific value
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
🔸 Calorific Values (RRB FACTS)
Carbohydrates → 4 kcal/g
Proteins → 4 kcal/g
Fats → 9 kcal/g
Alcohol → 7 kcal/g
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
Highest calorific value (fuel) → Hydrogen (~150 kJ/g)
Lowest calorific value → Cow dung cake (~7 MJ/kg)
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
🔹 4️⃣ IGNITION TEMPERATURE
Ignition temperature = lowest temperature at which a fuel catches fire
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
Very low ignition temperature fuels are fire hazards
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
Example: Petrol
🔹 5️⃣ COMBUSTION (दहन)
Combustion is a chemical process in which a substance reacts with oxygen and releases
heat and light
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
🔸 Conditions for Combustion
1. Fuel
2. Oxygen
3. Ignition temperature
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
🔸 Types of Combustion
Rapid combustion → LPG, petrol
Spontaneous combustion → white phosphorus
Explosion → firecrackers
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
🔸 Products of Combustion
Complete combustion → CO₂ + H₂O + more energy
Incomplete combustion → CO + smoke + less energy
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
🔹 6️⃣ FIRE CONTROL & FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
Fire can be controlled by removing:
1. Fuel
2. Oxygen
3. Heat
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
🔸 Why CO₂ is Used in Fire Extinguishers
CO₂ does not support combustion
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
CO₂ is heavier than air and cuts oxygen supply
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
Causes cooling
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
🔹 7️⃣ COAL
Coal is a solid fossil fuel formed from plant remains
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
🔸 Types of Coal
1. Anthracite → ~90% carbon (best quality)
2. Bituminous → 60–80% carbon (most used)
3. Lignite → 40–60% carbon (brown coal)
4. Peat → early stage of coal formation
(~6× → JE 3 | NTPC 2 | GD 1)
🔸 Products of Coal
Coke → almost pure carbon, reducing agent
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
Coal tar → roads, dyes, drugs, naphthalene
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
Coal gas → gaseous fuel
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
🔹 8️⃣ PETROLEUM
Petroleum is a liquid fossil fuel formed from marine organisms
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
Hence called a non-renewable fossil fuel
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
🔸 Petroleum Fractions & Uses
LPG → cooking
Petrol → spark ignition engines
Kerosene → cooking, aviation fuel
Diesel → compression ignition engines
Lubricating oil → reduce friction
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
🔹 9️⃣ LPG (LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS)
Domestic cooking fuel
(~6× → JE 3 | NTPC 2 | GD 1)
Components → Propane + Butane
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
Ethyl mercaptan (C₂H₅SH) added for smell
(~6× → JE 3 | NTPC 2 | GD 1)
🔹 🔟 CNG (COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS)
Main component → Methane (CH₄)
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
Cleanest fossil fuel
(~6× → JE 3 | NTPC 2 | GD 1)
Produces less CO, NOx and SO₂
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
🔹 1️⃣1️⃣ BIOGAS / GOBAR GAS
Produced by anaerobic decomposition of organic waste
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
Main gas → Methane
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
Slurry used as manure
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
🔹 1️⃣2️⃣ ROCKET FUEL
Rocket fuel provides thrust by expelling gases at high speed
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
🔸 Types
Liquid fuel → Liquid hydrogen + liquid oxygen
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
Solid fuel → Ammonium perchlorate + aluminium powder
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
🔹 1️⃣3️⃣ HYDROGEN AS FUEL
Highest calorific value
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
Burns to form water (no pollution)
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
Difficult to store and transport
(~2× → JE 1 | NTPC 1)
🔹 1️⃣4️⃣ RENEWABLE vs NON-RENEWABLE FUELS
Renewable → Biogas, hydrogen
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
Non-renewable → Coal, petroleum, natural gas
(~5× → JE 3 | NTPC 2)
🔹 1️⃣5️⃣ FLAME TYPES
Blue flame → complete combustion, more heat
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
Yellow flame → incomplete combustion, soot
(~4× → JE 2 | NTPC 2)
🔹 1️⃣6️⃣ SMOKE
Smoke contains unburnt carbon particles
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
Causes air pollution and respiratory problems
(~3× → JE 2 | NTPC 1)
✅ FINAL RRB ONE-LINE REVISION
From Fuels & Combustion, RRB mainly asks: calorific value, LPG/CNG, coal types, combustion,
fire safety, clean fuels and rocket fuel.