Forums > Technical Discussion > Alcool based fuel?

Posted: 16th Jan 2008
That's a horrifically bad idea, most (all?) alcohol burns with a very high temperature. The mix you have quoted certainly will. it will damage wicks, and far more importantly there's a very high probability of it damaging the user.

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Posted: 17th Jan 2008
Ditto

Not to mention that alcohol burns with a clear flame, wouldnt have thought its much good for fire performing.

Yakumo

Posted: 17th Jan 2008
Hmm.. I've (successfully, and repeatedly) used isopropynol for my fire act - a fireproof bowl with a small amount in gives a nice big (and yellow, presumably due to the poor air supply to the bottom of a bowl of burning liquid) flame with a reservoir of fuel to dip fingers into for body burning, tracing and fire eating with.
Yes, it does burn much hotter than kero, but that's just a question of not keeping it on you for that long (and making sure you avoid dipping your nail beds into the fuel, that bit somehow seems to burn faster than the rest of your finger... Or maybe that's just me...)

A wise man once said: "You have two ears and one mouth, therefore you should shut the up and listen" (though, to be fair, he might not've put it _quite_ like that..)

Posted: 23rd Jan 2008
I asked my chemistry teacher and he told me that alcool burns at a lower temperature then parrafine for example

PinkNigel: Does it give a good result? I think that when you burn alcool it makes a blue flame, does it do that when you use it on poi too?

Thanks



edit: I made some more research and i found that:

Heating value for:

Ethanol: 31.1 MJ/kg

parrafin: 43.1 MJ/kg

Methanol: 19.9 MJ/kg
EDITED_BY: SourceCode (1201100420)

Posted: 23rd Jan 2008
I've no idea how it looks burnt on a kevlar wick, I always use paraffin for that.

A wise man once said: "You have two ears and one mouth, therefore you should shut the up and listen" (though, to be fair, he might not've put it _quite_ like that..)

Posted: 23rd Jan 2008
Yes alcohol lights at a lower temp, this is what makes it dangerous. It means it needs less flame to light on fire.

Think about it, if you poor some alcohol on the ground you can light it on fire while it is in a big puddle. If you poor some kerosene or paraffin you will have to try very very very hard to get it to light.

Now think about what might happen with the two different fuels if:
- you hit your self and some fuel transfers to you clothing?
- fuel droplets fly of your poi while you are spinning?
- a spark comes near your fuel tin?


I think the only plus to using alcohol would be that it would not smell as bad, but then that may be replaced with the smell of burning skin so i think it is a non issue.

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Posted: 24th Jan 2008

 Written by:

Now think about what might happen with the two different fuels if:
- you hit your self and some fuel transfers to you clothing?
- fuel droplets fly of your poi while you are spinning?

It will happen exaclty the same thing that if you hit yourself with parrafin, since both fuel will be already burning( so both are at their burn temperature) and both fuel have the same apparance.
So parrafin or ethanol, it won't "stick" more to you cloths and droplets will be in both case already burning when they fly....

Posted: 24th Jan 2008
If paraffin would never transfer, why would ethanol?