SPECIFIC HEAT OF LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS

Specific heat capacity of liquids and fluids including engine oil, vegetable oil, mineral oil, olive oil , ethanol, methanol, methane, benzene and kerosene are given in the following table in Btu/lbm-°F and kJ/kg-K units.

Specific Heat Values for Liquids at 25 °C
Substance Temp. (°C) Specific Heat (Cp)
Btu/lbm-°F (kJ/kg-K)
Ammonia 25 1.156 (4.84)
Benzene 17 0.411 (1.72)
127 0.494 (2.07)
217 0.626 (2.62)
Butane 25 0.590 (2.47)
CCL4 25 0.198 (0.83)
CO2 25 0.693 (2.9)
Ethanol 25 0.588 (2.46)
Gasoline 25 0.497 (2.08)
Glycerine 25 0.578 (2.42)
Kerosene 25 0.478 (2.0)
Methane -160 0.834 (3.49)
-120 0.991 (4.15)
-90 2.126 (8.9)
Methanol 25 0.609 (2.55)
Milk, skimmed 20 0.946 (3.96)
Milk, whole 28 0.929 (3.89)
n-Octane 25 0.533 (2.23)
n-Pentane -123 0.468 (1.96)
-23 0.509 (2.13)
77 0.616 (2.58)
Oil engine (unused) 20 0.449 (1.88)
60 0.490 (2.05)
100 0.530 (2.22)
Oil light 25 0.430 (1.8)
Corn oil  35 0.399 (1.67)
Olive oil  35 0.418 (1.75)
Peanut oil 35 0.490 (2.05)
Sunflower oil  35 0.535 (2.24)
Mineral lubricant oil  40 0.604 (2.53)
Synthetic lubricant oil  40 0.568 (2.38)
Propane -173 0.461 (1.93)
-73 0.506 (2.12)
27 0.662 (2.77)
R-12 25 0.232 (0.97)
R-22 25 0.301 (1.26)
R-134a 25 0.342 (1.43)
Water 25 0.998 (4.18)

Definitions:

Specific Heat: The specific heat is the heat capacity per unit mass of material.

Reference:

  • Sonntag.R.E. , Borgnakke.C. , Van Wylen G.J. , (1998) . Fundamentals of Thermodynamics . 5th edition.  John Wiley & Sons Inc., pp 649
  • Fasina, O., & Colley, Z. (2008). Viscosity and Specific Heat of Vegetable Oils as a Function of Temperature: 35°C to 180°C. International Journal of Food Properties, 11(4), 738-746. doi:10.1080/10942910701586273
  • Çengel, Y. A., & Boles, M. A. (2002). Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach . Boston: McGraw-Hill.
  • Riazi, M. R. Characterization and Properties of Petroleum Fractions. ASTM International, 2005.