Estimation of heat of combustion of triglycerides and fatty acid methyl esters

Equations were developed for the estimation of gross heat of combustion (HG) of triglycerides (TGs) and fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) from their saponification number (SN) and iodine value (IV). HG of TG=1,896,000/SN − 0.6 IV — 1600 and HG of FAME=618,000/SN − 0.08 IV — 430. When these equations were tested on cottonseed oil, soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, sunflower oil methyl esters, soybean oil methyl esters and cottonseed oil methyl esters, predicted HG values agreed well with those reported in the literature.