Detailed search. Kerosene petroleum is a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons whose lighter fractions are refined, mainly into jet fuel, by adding certain additives. Without these additives, which alter its chemical properties, kerosene was and is still used as fuel for oil lamps. However, in rural areas in underdeveloped countries kerosene lamps are still often the only available source of light. Certain kerosene variants with particularly low sulfur content are also used for household heating — for example in the UK — and for various industrial processes.
According to the United Kingdom Census there were over 1 million households using kerosene as their main source of heating in the UK. This equates to 4. In the UK, special chemical markers are required to be added to kerosene — much as they are added to heating oil in Germany — to detect any illegal use of this product, which enjoys preferential tax treatment. Kerosene uses range from the functional to the critical.
Learn more about the most common uses for kerosene in the US today. Kerosene is a hydrocarbon compound extracted as liquid from refined petroleum. Manufacturers can also extract kerosene from oil shale, wood and coal. Like natural gas, kerosene is derived from the same type of fossil fuels. Kerosene replaced whale oil as a primary source for lamps because it lasted longer and was easier to obtain.
In other parts of the world, kerosene goes by other names, including:. Kerosene is a very effective lighting fuel. Campers and those who live in rural areas love using kerosene lamps because of the longevity of the fuel and its ease of transportation.
One type of kerosene lamp, called a hurricane lamp, was designed to be available during the worst conditions. Kerosene tends to contain hydrocarbons that have anywhere from 11 to 13 carbons in the chains. In addition, it can be used as an oil in central heating systems and can be used as a cleaning agent. Although the use of kerosene in many places has decreased over the years as a result of improved access to electricity and natural gas , it is still used extensively in the developing world for cooking, heating, and lighting.
Kerosene is often seen as a good alternative to solid fuels, biomass , and coal and thus kerosene lanterns are used in places where access to electricity is not available. It is estimated that globally million households use fuels such as kerosene for lighting. For more information on the importance of access to non-solid fuels, click here. The use of kerosene as an oil in heaters can be dangerous and because of that it is not used frequently. When operating, kerosene heaters can cause degradation of air quality inside a home while producing toxic and carcinogenic gases.
Because of this, kerosene is not actively used in home heating in most developed countries. In developing countries, the widespread use of kerosene comes with numerous different issues. Hazards of kerosene use include poisoning, fires, and explosions. As well, some kerosene lamps emit fine particulates, carbon monoxide , nitric oxides NOx , and sulfur dioxide when burned. These by-products may reduce lung function and increase risks of asthma and cancer.
Generally speaking, kerosene lamps are inefficient and produce harmful by-products of combustion when used.
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