Going Dark-Green Amongst Stoves: Alcohol Together With Biodiesel

Hey, Jim, all these stoves are all good together with fine, but what close sustainability?

Well, goodness question.  Petroleum based fuels are great, but inwards no means are they sustainable.  However, in that place are a duet of fuels out in that place that are considered "green:"  alcohol together with biodiesel.  Now, some people volition hold upwardly thinking "what close wood?"  Wood is a sustainable fuel, but inwards heavily traveled areas, the wood tin privy hold upwardly picked construct clean of downed wood, together with people volition showtime pulling downwards standing wood -- hardly a "green" practice.  So, for the purposes of this post, I'm going to utter close fuels that you lot bring, i.e. a essence that you lot convey alongside you lot together with order the axe to laid upwardly alongside inwards guild to minimize your impact on the environs together with Leave No Trace.

ALCOHOL 
First, alcohol:  Alcohol stoves cause got been around for years.  The goodness tidings is that alcohol stoves volition order the axe "green" alcohol merely fine without any modifications.  In other words, the solely matter you lot postulate to alter if you've already got an alcohol stove is merely your construct of alcohol.  Sweet!

Um, that's great, but merely what is "green" alcohol?

Well, "green" alcohol is primarily ethanol (ethyl alcohol) that has been made inwards a sustainable fashion.  Generally, "green" alcohol has a higher ethanol content that "regular" denatured alcohol.

For example, "regular" Klean Strip SLX construct denatured alcohol is 45-50% ethanol, 50-55% methanol, 1-4% Methyl isobutyl ketone according to its MSDS.  In other words, the original factor is methanol.  Methanol is typically made from marsh gas (natural gas), a fossil fuel -- hardly a sustainable product.
"Regular" Klean Strip SLX Denatured Alcohol

On the other mitt "green" Klean Strip construct denatured alcohol is Ethanol 90-100%, methanol <10%, Methyl isobutyl ketone <10%, Acetic acid, Ethyl ester <5%.  There's a lot to a greater extent than sustainable ethanol, together with in that place is far less unsustainable methanol.  Perfect?  No, but much improve than SLX's regular production together with far improve than a 100% oil product.
"Green" Klean Strip Denatured Alcohol


BIODIESEL
Now, let's utter close biodiesel. First, I am non an skilful on biodiesel.  But I'm getting plenty questions close biodiesel that I though I'd at to the lowest degree postal service some full general data based on the questions I've received.

Q:  Can I run stove "X" on biodiesel?   (where "X" is a detail stove such every bit an XGK, an Omnifuel, etc --  typical push clit per unit of measurement area stoves inwards other words)
A:  Maybe.  But it in all likelihood won't go real well, if at all.  Biodiesel is pretty heavy.  Stoves tend to foul together with jam a lot on biodiesel.  Something similar an XGK (about every bit robust a stove every bit you lot tin privy find) would hold upwardly your best bet, but I would testify it thoroughly at abode earlier taking it out on the trail.  No backpacking stove that I know of is designed for biodiesel.   I would definitely not crusade biodiesel inwards a stove alongside a valve at the burner.  Stoves alongside a valve at the burner tend to hold upwardly to a greater extent than "sensitive" to fuel impurities.  Examples of stoves alongside a valve at the burner include the MSR Dragonfly, the Primus Omnifuel, the Coleman Apex II, together with the Optimus Nova/Nova+. 

Q:  Can I run an alcohol stove (aka a meths stove) on biodiesel?
A:  No way.  You're merely non going to larn plenty thermal feedback (enough heat) inwards a typical alcohol stove to vaporize a heavy fuel similar biodiesel.

The accept away from all this is that if you're going to crusade biodiesel inwards a backpacking type stove, it's going to hold upwardly a crude go.  If I take away heed of a stove that industrial plant good alongside biodiesel, I volition postal service an update.

In the hateful time, if you lot desire to larn "green," larn yourself a overnice alcohol stove.

HJ

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