Heating Value

The amount of heat produced from the complete combustion of a unit of fuel. The higher (or gross) heating value is that when all products of combustion are cooled to the pre-combustion temperature, water vapor formed during combustion is condensed, and necessary corrections have been made. Lower (or net) heating value is obtained by subtracting from the gross heating value the latent heat of vaporization of the water vapor formed by the combustion of the hydrogen in the fuel.

The maximum amount of energy that is available from burning a substance.

Higher heating value (HHV) is the potential combustion energy when water vapor from combustion is condensed to recover the latent heat of vaporization. Lower heating value (LHV) is the potential combustion energy when water vapor from combustion is not condensed.