What's The Best Alcohol For Stove Fuel?

A lot of people interested inwards going lite are trying alcohol every bit a fuel.  But if you lot caput downward to the store, you'll run across all kinds of alcohol.  Which alcohols are expert choices for stove fuel?  Which ones are pitiable choices?

Alcohol every bit a Stove Fuel (in lodge of best fuel to worst fuel)  The best alcohol fuel is ethanol (ethyl alcohol).  It has the highest break of calories per gram* of whatever stove fuel suitable alcohol (I actually don't consider dirty-burning isopropanol to hold upwards suitable every bit a stove fuel) in addition to burns reasonably cleanly.  If you lot tin instruct lab aeroplane "absolute" (200 proof) ethanol or 190 proof liquor, that's going to run actually well, exactly both of those (lab aeroplane absolute ethanol or 190 proof "drinking" alcohol) are pretty expensive -- if you lot tin fifty-fifty instruct them.  Lab aeroplane absolute ethanol is often restricted every bit to whom tin buy it (i.e. non the full general public), in addition to many locations prohibit the sale of high proof drinking alcohol.  Check the Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on lab aeroplane absolute ethanol which may incorporate benzene which is toxic.

Another alternative is "denatured" alcohol which should consist primarily of ethanol.  The work inwards the USA is that in that place are no standards for what constitutes denatured alcohol.  In fact, about denatured alcohols inwards the USA are less than 50% ethanol.  In add-on sometimes nasty materials is used to denature the alcohol (render it undrinkable), materials similar methyl ethyl ketone, whose fumes you lot don't actually desire to breathe.  "Green" denatured alcohol by in addition to large has a much higher ethanol content in addition to a lower "nasty stuff" content.  Check the MSDS.  The higher the ethanol content, the ameliorate it is for utilization every bit a fuel.  Because higher ethanol content alcohol burns hotter, sometimes the burning volition "get ahead of itself," in addition to you'll instruct about soot.  If the stove is overheating in addition to producing soot, attempt adding H2O to the fuel (after you lot instruct into your military camp site; don't acquit it!). Adding H2O volition calm downward the burning, allowing the alcohol to mix properly amongst air in addition to give the sack cleanly.  Try adding a piddling H2O at first, in addition to therefore add together to a greater extent than H2O every bit needed to eliminate whatever soot (up to 25% of the full volume).
"Green" denatured alcohol by in addition to large has the highest ethanol content.

Outside the US, in that place is a detail multifariousness of denatured alcohol sometimes available, methylated spirits.  Methylated spirits is ethanol amongst methanol used every bit a denaturing agent.  Methylated spirits is often called "meths" or "metho".   Methylated spirits makes an first-class stove fuel.  Would that it were available inwards the US.

Methanol (methyl alcohol) is about other pop fuel alcohol, often bought inwards the yellowish HEET bottle because HEET is therefore widely available (at to the lowest degree inwards the US).  You practise select to acquit a combat to a greater extent than methanol to practise the same amount of cooking since methanol contains fewer calories per gram* than ethanol.  Methanol fumes are toxic, in addition to methanol absorbed through the pare is toxic.  How toxic?  If you're cooking out doors, I don't cry back fumes volition hold upwards also bad if you're observant of air current direction in addition to seat yourself accordingly.   I don't select a agency to dry ground a condom bound for pare absorption, exactly treatment amongst attention should hold upwards enough.  It's non similar you lot withdraw heed most a lot of through hikers on the Appalachian Trail (AT), where yellowish HEET is slowly to instruct in addition to really popular, getting stricken amongst methanol poisoning.   Methanol has a higher vapor pressure level than ethanol in addition to plant ameliorate than ethanol inwards mutual depression temperature weather.  I can't comment a lot on methanol functioning inwards mutual depression temperature weather condition because I typically convey a gas or liquid fossil oil fueled stove for mutual depression temperature weather.  Conversely, methanol tin select "runaway thermal feedback" inwards hotter weather.  "Runaway thermal feedback" basically occurs when the alcohol gets therefore hot that it boils actually violently in addition to doesn't give the sack efficiently.  Adding H2O (see remarks above) tin assistance calm downward a give the sack therefore that the alcohol tin give the sack to a greater extent than cleanly.

Yellow HEET is methanol.
Red HEET (Iso-HEET) is Isopropanol

LAST alternative is isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol).  Isopropanol is slowly to notice at most whatever drug shop (typically called rubbing alcohol), exactly it's normally a sooty mess to burn.  Even though Isopropanol has the highest estrus content per gram*, it is actually non suitable every bit a stove fuel because it's such a mess to burn.  Isopropanol is toxic inwards damage of both fumes in addition to inwards pare absorption.   Red HEET (i.e. Iso-HEET) is isopropanol. Not recommended.

With whatever alcohol fuel, your flaming velocity is going to hold upwards fairly depression (think candle every bit opposed to blow torch).  Therefore, an effective air current enshroud is actually essential for an alcohol stove.

SUMMARY
The best choices for fuel for an alcohol stove are:
1.  Lab aeroplane absolute ethanol (200 proof) or high proof liquor (190 proof).  High estrus content per gram (relative to methanol), relatively build clean burning, in addition to by in addition to large non toxic, exactly banking concern fit the MSDS on lab aeroplane absolute ethanol which may incorporate benzene which is toxic.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 expert alternative for warmer weather.
2.  "Green" denatured alcohol inwards the USA or methylated spirits (ethanol amongst methanol used every bit a denaturing agent) exterior the US.  Methylated spirits is often called "meths" or "metho".  Good estrus content, relatively build clean burning, fairly non-toxic depending on the amount in addition to type of the denaturing agent.  In the US, ever banking concern fit the MSDS.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 expert alternative for warmer weather.
3.  Methanol, for event yellowish HEET.  Decent estrus content, very build clean burning, exactly definitely toxic inwards damage of fumes in addition to pare absorption.  Reasonably condom if used amongst care.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 expert alternative for colder weather.
4.  You can utilization Isopropanol, for event reddish HEET (Iso-HEET), exactly it is non actually suitable every bit a stove fuel because it's by in addition to large a sooty mess when it burns.  Highest estrus content, exactly muddied burning, in addition to definitely toxic.  Not recommended unless you lot select a specialized stove specifically designed for it.

Finally:   Drinking anything non intended for human consumption is a actually bad idea, exactly if you're going to practise such a thing, always banking concern fit the MSDS earlier you lot drinkable anything non intended for human consumption.

HJ

*Heat Content of Alcohols
Fuel          MJ/kg     MJ/l 
Methanol      19.930    15.78
Ethanol       28.865    22.77
Isopropanol   30.447    23.93


Related posts in addition to articles:

Subscribe to receive free email updates:

0 Response to "What's The Best Alcohol For Stove Fuel?"

Posting Komentar