Problems of Precision Measurements of the Enthalpies
of Natural Gas Combustion

Yu. I. Aleksandrov, E. N. Korchagina, and A. G. Chunovkina

Mendeleev Research Institute for Metrology, St. Petersburg, Russia

E-mail: Y.I.Alexandrov@vniim.ru

Abstract—All works concerned with precision measurements of the heat of combustion of high-purity meth-
ane, including those performed according to the procedure for burning gases with the use of the State Primary
Standard of the Unit of the Energy of Combustion (GET 16-96), are analyzed. The results of several commu-
nications are presented, on the basis of which the recommended superior heats of methane combustion were
suggested as standard reference data for calculations. The results of experimental works published in 1987–
2001 are generalized. Their distinguishing feature is direct measurements of the amount of burned gas. The
standard uncertainties of measurements performed by various authors are estimated and analyzed. It is shown
that the accuracy of measuring the heat of combustion can be increased by increasing the accuracy of measuring
the weight or amount of burned gases. Possible approaches to solving this problem are suggested. These include
the use of modern electronic balances in gas combustion experiments and the development of precision dosing
devices. The combined standard uncertainty (0.22 kJ/mol) in the heat of methane combustion (890.49 kJ/mol),
obtained by generalizing the available data, was calculated. This error was more than four times lower than the
95% confidence limit currently given in ISO 6976-96.

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