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Flame temperature

Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 8:37 am
by Crazyguy
I see lots of stirling engines on youtube running on an alcohol lamp.
Wouldn't a hotter flame give more power?
Isopropyl alcohol = 680F
Kerosene = 3801F
Ethanol = 3486F

I would choose kerosene since it's hotter and cheaper.
Does this make sense?

Re: Flame temperature

Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 1:41 am
by Ian S C
It would need to be under pressure if you use kero, and it burns like a plumbers blow lamp.
Ian S C

Re: Flame temperature

Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:53 pm
by Crazyguy
Kerosene burns with a wick, just like an alcohol lamp.

Re: Flame temperature

Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:27 pm
by Ian S C
But more often than not, with a wick it burns with a smoky flame. The soot left behind is Lamp Black, and very messy.
Ian S C

Re: Flame temperature

Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 7:31 pm
by Crazyguy
Not in any kerosene burner I've seen. If the wick is adjusted properly it burns clean with no soot or odor at all.

Re: Flame temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 2:35 am
by Ian S C
You must have better kero than we do, once a pon a time, we could get power kero, lighting kero, and I'v forgotten what the third grade was. the stuff we have now smokes, and stinks, that's one reason a number of my motors run on LPG.
Ian S C

Re: Flame temperature

Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 4:56 am
by Crazyguy
@ Ian sc
Yes the kerosene is called K-1 grade. The wicks are made from fiberglass cloth. Google kerosene heater and it will show the heaters we use to keep from freezing to death, when the power grid goes out.

Re: Flame temperature

Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 3:08 am
by Ian S C
There is another thread about temperatures of flames around about December/January 2011/12, might be worth looking at.
Ian S C

Re: Flame temperature

Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 11:10 pm
by Wellington
Knowing which part of a flame is hottest and placing your object to be heated in that zone is very important for efficient heat transfer. Many people wrongly assume the center of a flame is hottest when in fact the hottest part is just above the pointed cone tip.

Has anyone ever tried diesel as a fuel and what would be the likely issues?

Wellington.

Re: Flame temperature

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 1:35 am
by Ian S C
The Swedish submarines with their Stirling Engines use diesel with oxygen to power the engines.
Ian S C