Clean burning spirit?

[eskimobob]

I can see some light at the end of my Stirling Engine build and am therefore thinking about how I will fire it up. I'm planning on putting some bling on this if I can follow the advice from rcplanebuilder.

I'm therefore hoping to use a spirit burner with a spirit that will not produce soot. It is a long time since I have used meths so I'm not sure whether that produces soot or not??

Is there something cleaner to use?

 

[Stan]

Ethanol (the drinkable kind) is the hottest and cleanest burning of the commonly available liquid fuels. When denatured (made unfit to drink) it is sold over the counter for many uses. In North America, it is available in the paint department of the hardware store as a thinner.

 

[websterz]

Ethanol (the drinkable kind) is the hottest and cleanest burning of the commonly available liquid fuels. When denatured (made unfit to drink) it is sold over the counter for many uses. In North America, it is available in the paint department of the hardware store as a thinner.

+1 on the denatured alcohol. I use it in my soda can stoves and it burns extremely clean. You'll be quite pleased with it. Methanol is also a very clean fuel, found in the automotive department in the form of HEET gas line anti-freeze. Make sure to get the yellow bottle, not the Iso-HEET in the red bottle. It is isopropyl alcohol and doesn't burn as clean or as hot.

 

[eskimobob]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Unfortunately I don't remember seeing any of those products here in the UK.

I know I can get meths easily - does it burn and leave a soot where the flame touches?

P.s. Wow - I just put "clean burning meths" into google and this topis has come up! - it can only be a couple of hours old - google must like this site.

 

[Deanofid]

Check at a paint store for denatured alcohol. It's used as a shellac thinner.

 

[cobra428]

eskimobob,
I would be certain you could get denatured alc in a paint store along with MEK and laq thinners etc.

Or the best one I heard of in the instructions for one of my Stirlings is 200 proof alcohol from the liquor store. ?????? I never saw it, or heard of it. Maybe 151 rum but that would leave your engine sugar coated :big: It might be good ......One for the Engine then One for You!!

Tony

 

[John Rudd]

eskimobob,

Why not try some meths? burn a small amount on a saucer and hold a glass bottle over the flame..see if you get a carbon deposit...

I remember as a kid many years ago when I had my Meccano steam engine that ran on meths...cant remember if it produced carbon... ???

Methanol isnt particularly good....it attacks the central nervous system if absorbed into the body...

 

[Stan]

It looks like we are talking about the same thing. If your meths is methylated spirits, here is what Wiki has to say:

Denatured alcohol is ethanol that has additives to make it toxic, unpalatable, or otherwise undrinkable. In some cases it is also dyed. Denatured alcohol is used as a solvent and as fuel for spirit burners and camping stoves. Because of the diversity of industrial uses for denatured alcohol, hundreds of additives and denaturing methods have been used. Traditionally, the main additive is 10% methanol, giving rise to the term methylated spirit. Typical additives are methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, denatonium,[1] and even (uncommonly) aviation gasoline.

Specifically, denatured refers to the removal of the ethanol product's usefulness as a beverage. The ethanol molecule is not itself denatured in the sense of its chemical structure being altered.

 

[firebird]

Hi Martin,

If you go and have a look at my recent small steam engine project over in a work in progress you will see I tried lamp oil. I'm told it has a higher calorific value than meths. It certainly seemed to burn quite cleanly in my little boiler.

Cheers

Rich

 

[eskimobob]

Ah, thanks Rich, I do remember reading that in your thread now. I will get some and try it out

 

[IanN]

Hi,

Meths is a very sooty fuel, but if you add a small amount of water to the meths it will burn much more cleanly.

This is my experience based on using meths in Trangia stoves. I have never measured the amount of water I add - I just splash a bit in. I would guess it ends up as about 5% water.

Ian.

 

[eskimobob]

Thanks Ian. I plan to give Rich's lamp oil a try but will remember the water in meths if the lamp oil fails 8)

 

[modeng2000]

I am a little puzzled about 'lamp oil'
Is it known by another name in the UK?

John

 

[firebird]

Hi

It says indoor lamp oil on the bottle. The lamps I have seen are glass globes of various shapes with narrow necks. You fill them with lamp oil (which comes in different colours) and stick a wick in it and light it. In use in the burner of my little steamer it burns with a bright white flame.

Cheers

Rich

 

[rickharris]

Hi,

Meths is a very sooty fuel, but if you add a small amount of water to the meths it will burn much more cleanly.

This is my experience based on using meths in Trangia stoves. I have never measured the amount of water I add - I just splash a bit in. I would guess it ends up as about 5% water.

Ian.

With the right fuel air mix Meths should burn with a clear - almost invisible flame. Putting water in it is more likely to cool the flame and make it less efficient.

I also use a Trangia http://www.trangiastove.co.uk/index.php Some people may recognise them as the soda can type burner (but a commercial version) & haven't had a lot of issues as long as you let the flame get going and burn clear before you put the pan on. Trangia don't reccomend putting water in the fuel.

They rely on the heating of the meths to generate vapour at a low pressure that vents through the holes and ignites.

Generally small meths burners for heating model boilers in my experience are a container and wick type of set up. Somewhere I have a glass and a brass version. I tend to use my propane torch on the only steam boiler I have (and rarly ever use). Easier to control.

 

[modeng2000]

Hi

It says indoor lamp oil on the bottle. The lamps I have seen are glass globes of various shapes with narrow necks. You fill them with lamp oil (which comes in different colours) and stick a wick in it and light it. In use in the burner of my little steamer it burns with a bright white flame.

Cheers

Rich

Hi Rich,
That makes sense, garden centres sell fuel for patio wick burners that are supposed to keep the midges away. This comes in different colours and perfumes.

Not knowing what lamp oil actually is got me wondering if a gas burner has been tried instead of a wick burner.

John

 

[eskimobob]

I am a little puzzled about 'lamp oil'
Is it known by another name in the UK?

Hi John,

I bought a bottle from MICA (hardware shop) yesterday and it looks like a bottle of White Spirit but says Lamp Oil on hte bottle. It also seems to have the viscosity of White Spirit too. Not got a burner to try it in yet - either have to make on e or buy one.

 

[modeng2000]

Thanks for that Martin.

John

 

[mu38&Bg#]

Lamp oil in the UK is known as paraffin. Lamp oil can be a variety of things. Deodorized kerosene in the US, to something slightly heavier. I've also seen "lamp oil" that were alcohols.

 

[eskimobob]

Lamp oil in the UK is known as paraffin. Lamp oil can be a variety of things. Deodorized kerosene in the US, to something slightly heavier. I've also seen "lamp oil" that were alcohols.

Arghh - I've just opened it to have a smell and it smells suspiciously like parafin. That must be the most expensive parafin I have ever bought ??? - £3.99 for a litre!