How to make dry fuel at home. What type of fuel is best for the hike Dry fuel tablets

Situations often occur when there is a need for quick production of fire. Or, on the contrary, there are no materials and means to maintain it. Most often, such situations occur in people who are fond of hiking and travel and leading a very active lifestyle. Or in cases of unexpected extreme situations, when fire is one of the main means of survival.

Also, the need for a quick fire can arise in domestic conditions, if there are no dry wood materials at hand for ignition. In such situations, you may need a substance that has certain properties. It should be combustible, dry, easy to ignite, maintain a fire for a long time and extinguish easily.

What is it?

There is such a substance capable of supporting combustion in a small amount. long time... It is called "dry alcohol". The strength and burning time of even a small amount of such a substance may be sufficient to cook food. In fact, this substance has nothing to do with alcohols. What they have in common with alcohols is only good combustion properties. In general, "dry alcohol" refers to any substance that is capable of burning with a colorless flame without smoke and soot and does not leave traces of ash during combustion. During the combustion process, dry fuel turns into water and carbon dioxide. The first is immediately vaporized by the outgoing heat, and carbon dioxide is dispersed in the surrounding air.

Dry fuel. Composition

The chemical basis of dry alcohol is represented by urotropine. This dry fuel was first obtained by Butlerov in 1860, as a result of studying the interaction of formaldehyde with an ammonia solution. As a result of his experiments, colorless crystals were obtained, which was given the name urotropin. This substance itself and its compounds with proved to be good anti-inflammatory and which can still be found in the pharmacy. Second excellent property this compound had the ability to burn without the formation of ash. Dry fuel in tablets, sold in the store, consists precisely of urotropin with a small amount of paraffin. This type of "dry alcohol" is very easy to use. Urotropine is a very flammable substance in itself. When dry, it ignites very quickly from an ordinary match. And it goes out without difficulty, it is worth covering it with something. Even damp, urotropine is capable of igniting, but at the same time it crackles and scatters sparks. Despite the fact that "dry alcohol" can be easily purchased at any hardware store, a small amount can also be prepared at home.

Formalin + ammonia

To do this, you need to pour 100 ml of formalin (40% solution) into a metal container, immersed 2/3 in cold water. Then gradually add 1 liter of ammonia (12% solution) there, stirring constantly. These manipulations should be carried out outdoors, since inhalation of these vapors is for health. The resulting solution must be closed with a lid and left for a day. Then the mixture should be heated and evaporated until urotropine crystals begin to precipitate. After that, the mixture must be cooled, and the urotropin must be filtered and dried. Then, mixing with 1-3% paraffin, grind and form dense briquettes. Store ready-made dry alcohol in a place protected from moisture.

Acetaldehyde + Sulfuric Acid

There is another type of "dry alcohol" - metaldehyde. This dry fuel with your own hands can be obtained at home, having some chemical constituents available. It is obtained by mixing cooled with a few drops of sulfuric acid. As a result of mixing two liquids, solid metaldehyde is formed. It is insoluble in water and alcohol and burns well without the formation of smoke and ash.

Ethanol + Calcium Acetate

Calcium acetate solvate also refers to "dry alcohols". It can be obtained by quickly adding 10 ml of concentrated calcium acetate to 170 ml of ethyl alcohol. As a result, the solution will harden very quickly and will resemble white soap. From the resulting mass, you can cut out cubes or plates. When the calcium acetate solvate is burned, a small amount of ash and acetone are formed, which is also highly susceptible to combustion.

About burners

Dry fuel tablets are most often used for warming up and preparing food in the field. But for this you still need a special burner.

Burners come in different types and manufacturers, but they are all compact and easy to use.

If the trip is carried out by car, then it will be more convenient to use the modern one. But this fact does not mean that the burner for dry fuel is outdated and is a relic of the past. Under certain conditions, its use is the most convenient and the only possible one. This is evidenced by the reviews of tourists. For use in such devices, dry fuel, without traces of moisture, will be most effective.

Features of the burners

There are no fundamental differences among heating pads of various brands. However, an experienced user can easily distinguish the most productive model. The only difference is in the height of the container and its protection from the wind. The most efficient will be a burner equipped with a metal cylinder with holes in it. Thus, protection from the wind will be carried out and thrust will be created, which will avoid heat losses from the combustion of "dry alcohol".

Burner completeness

This type of burner is widely used not only for tourism purposes. They are included in the soldier's outfit, aviator and disaster survival kit. The complete set of the burner includes a taganok, a metal container, solid fuel and matches. This set weighs only 300-350 grams, so its presence in a backpack is not burdensome.

When using dry fuel, the good thing is that you can use some of the metal items at hand as a taganka, such as a tin can, a metal mug, an aluminum or tin plate. It will be convenient to place a heated container on them.

Some sets of burners from different manufacturers have one drawback in common - the absence of a cover. It is indispensable for boiling water using dry fuel. In a closed container, water boils much faster, which allows you to save "dry alcohol", which may be the only source of full fire. The lid will also keep the water warm for longer.

If it becomes necessary to boil more than half a liter of water, then it is best to use 2 tablets of fuel at the same time. In this case, water will boil 2 times faster than if you add fuel one by one.

If it is necessary to use dry fuel, it is worth checking its suitability in advance. To do this, one sample from the package must be burned. If the fuel is dry, a small piece of ash should remain after complete combustion. In this case, "dry alcohol" is considered fit for further use. If, after complete combustion, a large amount of ash remains, resembling a sponge in structure, then such a fuel must be thrown away. Using it to cook or heat food is dangerous because it may contain toxic substances.

Only experienced hikers can understand that there is nothing more pleasant after a long and tiring trip than washing with clean water and relaxing with a mug of freshly brewed tea.

Who has tried "dry alcohol"; what is the use of it? and got the best answer

Answer from Elena Leshchenko [guru]
This photo is funny! Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) С2Н5ОН - colorless liquid, easily
evaporating (boiling point 64.7 єС, melting point -97.8 С). Therefore, this glass with a bag costs in freezer at t below -98С. It is problematic to add water there! Well, even if you dream up and add it in some way, you get a rectification. For such an amount of alcohol, as in the photo, add water - you get a very low-alcohol drink - as strong as beer. In general, "Dry alcohol" refers to a variety of substances that burn with an almost colorless flame without smoke and soot, and when burned, they do not leave the slightest traces of ash. Urotropin - the very first dry fuel - was obtained in 1860 by the Russian organic chemist Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov (1828-1886), studying the interaction of formaldehyde with an aqueous solution of ammonia. As a result of the reaction, colorless crystals of the composition (CH2) 6N4 were formed. This substance is called hexamethylenetetramine, or urotropine. Both urotropine itself and its combination with calcium chloride (calcex) turned out to be good anti-inflammatory and diuretics, and therefore they can now be bought at any pharmacy. Urotropin has an international name - METHENAMINE. Pharmachologic effect. Uroantiseptic. It is a "prodrug" from which formaldehyde is released in an acidic environment, which has an antimicrobial effect. In the body, the splitting of methenamine occurs in the kidneys, as well as in the focus of inflammation (since the development of inflammation is accompanied by a change in the reaction of the environment to the acidic side). Indications. Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract (cystitis, pyelitis). So theoretically I could "try" such "dry alcohol" if I had these diseases.
Another remarkable property of urotropin is the ability to burn without the formation of ash. Tablets or briquettes of purchased dry fuel consist precisely of urotropin with a small addition of paraffin. This fuel is very convenient to use: it is easily ignited by a match, it goes out easily.
Consumer market:
1. Fishermen, tourists, geologists, gardeners: cooking, lighting fires and charcoal heating tents.
2. For lighting stoves, barbecues, fireplaces, barbecue grills.
3. Motorists: it is used to warm up the engine crankcase, to bake out idle spark plugs.
The tablet burns without smoke and odor, easily ignited with a regular match, burning time 14-15 minutes. , combustion temperature - 900.
Metaldehyde is the second type of "dry alcohol". This tetramer (four-link polymer) of acetaldehyde has the formula (CH3CHO) 4. If you add a few drops of sulfuric acid diluted (1: 1) with water to acetaldehyde (acetaldehyde) - a colorless volatile liquid with a characteristic odor cooled below 0 oС, then acetaldehyde turns into a combustible solid metaldehyde, insoluble in water and ethyl alcohol. Cubes, sticks, tablets are cut out of it, which easily catch fire from a match. When burning, metaldehyde does not form ash, since all the products of its interaction with atmospheric oxygen are carbon dioxide and water vapor.
Another type of "dry alcohol" is a calcium acetate solvate. If you quickly add 10 ml of a concentrated aqueous solution of calcium acetate to 170 ml of ethyl alcohol, then the mixture almost instantly solidifies into a translucent mass, similar to white soap. From such a mass, you can cut cubes that burn beautifully when ignited.

The need to start a fire often arises among people who are fond of hiking and travel. But there may be no trees nearby, or the available wood may be damp. In this case, it is necessary to purchase dry fuel that is highly flammable, burns from 5 to 30 minutes and is compact in transportation.

Dry fuels have been known since 1860 thanks to the researcher chemist Butlerov. As a result scientific work on the study of formaldehyde and ammonia, he isolated colorless crystals called urotropin, which became the basis of the composition of the first dry fuel. Now, for ease of use, manufacturers mix the substance with a small amount of paraffin and press it into cylindrical tablets. In this form, the product reaches the buyer. In everyday life, another term has spread - dry alcohol. However, the product has nothing to do with alcohols.

On sale there is dry fuel in tablets based on other chemicals - metaldehyde and calcium acetate solvate.

Urotropine burns without the formation of ash. Easily lit with a match. The flame is quickly extinguished when the air supply is cut off by covering with a cap or cup. Damp tablets based on this substance, when burned, emit a crackling sound and scatter sparks. Metaldehyde in the process of combustion, when interacting with air, forms carbon dioxide and water vapor. Therefore, it leaves no decay products. Calcium acetate solvate solidifies in reaction with ethyl alcohol. The resulting mass is similar to soap. It can be cut into cubes and set on fire. After the combustion of the substance, ash remains.

Advantages and disadvantages

The product is easy to use, highly flammable, and has a small volume, unlike other fuels. It is compact and appreciated by hikers. Takes up little space in a backpack and is easy to carry.

With a small volume, this is a rather powerful source of thermal energy. Dry fuel can heat food and boil water. Can be used as a kindler for a fire. Does not lose its properties even when damp.

The disadvantages include the cost of dry fuel and the inability to regulate the strength of the flame. The amount of heat generated is constantly the same. The tablet will not have enough power to cook soup or porridge. In addition, the fire is flimsy, sensitive. It fades away with minor gusts of wind. Therefore, the use of fuel requires the construction of wind barriers.

Dry fuel based on urotropine emits corrosive substances during combustion: formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and ammonia.


The toxicity of the substances is not high when spread in the open air. However, do not specifically inhale the smoke generated by burning the tablet. Metaldehyde can only be harmful if swallowed. Decomposition product of calcium acetate - hall. She's safe.

Dry fuels

The product market is represented by trade marks Russian and foreign manufacturers. Hardware stores, pavilions, internet kiosks offer the buyer a wide variety of dry fuels, each of which has distinctive features.

Pathfinder

The Result Group of Companies sells the Sledopiot dry fuel. The products supplied to the consumer undergo a series of mandatory tests and are produced on high-tech equipment with the participation of specialists - chemists. It is for amateurs active rest on the outskirts of civilization, for fishermen and hunters, gardeners and vacationers in summer cottages.


The manufacturer proposes to use tableted fuel for lighting a fire, barbecues, stoves and for an independent source of heat.

The mass of one tablet is 15 g (+/- 4). Combustion temperature 900 C. Combustion period 10-12 minutes. Each tablet is protected by a compact sealed package. It is convenient to use, since when the common package is opened, unused tablets are protected from moisture, do not collapse, retain their shape and do not lose their flammable properties. The pronounced pungent odor characteristic of dry fuel does not spread to the environment.

Esbit pelleted dry fuel is packed in 4 pieces in waterproof plastic sections. 4 sections are packed in a small cardboard box. The weight of the box is 88 g. Compactness allows you to place it in a small backpack or pocket of outerwear. Plastic sections will provide moisture protection. If the storage conditions are observed, the fuel has no expiration date.


The weight of one tablet is 5 g. It is capable of generating enough heat to heat a portion of food not exceeding 250 g. For heating large volumes or boiling water, it is recommended to use 4 tablets at the same time. The fuel is highly safe - during ignition and combustion it does not emit hazardous substances, smoke, sparks.

How to make dry fuel at home?

Buying fuel in the store is ideal. However, it is not accessible to everyone due to its high cost. An alternative in this case would be to make dry fuel with your own hands.

In the first case, you will need 100 grams of biofuel - gasoline. 1 kg styrofoam (you can use the rest of the packages household appliances). Metal container with a base diameter of 15 cm and a depth of 5 cm. Wooden stirring stick.

Cooking steps:

  • gasoline is poured into the container;
  • the foam is crumbled into pieces by hand (the volume of the foam must correspond to the volume of gasoline);
  • connect the components;
  • The mixture is slowly stirred with a stick for 15 minutes.

Gasoline eats away at the foam. A mass is formed in consistency similar to a hard-kneaded dough, easily accepted in any shape. The finished substance is rolled into a ball, wrapped in plastic bags... If necessary, pinch off the required amount of fuel and use it as directed.

The second option for making dry fuel at home will require: cotton pads, paraffin wax, a metal container (tin can) and tweezers.


  1. In a tin can, melt 20 g of paraffin over low heat. Remove from fire.
  2. With tweezers, they grab three cotton pads folded in a pile.
  3. Cotton pads are dipped into uncured paraffin and kept for 5-10 seconds.
  4. Spread the soaked discs to dry.

The burning time of 1 paraffin tablet is 10 minutes.

Consider how to make dry fuel from urotropine at home.

  1. An enamel pot with a capacity of no more than 5 liters is placed in a basin of cold water.
  2. Pour into a container 100 g of formalin.
  3. In a thin stream, 1 liter of ammonia is added portionwise to the formalin.
  4. The ingredients are mixed, covered with a lid and left alone for a day.

The procedure is performed outdoors. The chemical reaction that takes place during mixing gives off toxic fumes.

After a day, the contents of the pan are evaporated in a water bath until crystals are obtained. The substance resulting from the labors of a domestic chemist is the same urotropine. It can be applied in powder form or triturated with paraffin to form tablets.

When fishing and hiking, it is important that you can light a fire at any time. For this, a diverse range of dry fuels in tablets and alternative products are produced.

Our catalog contains different kinds dry alcohol, "eternal" matches and other means for guaranteed ignition and maintenance of fire. The products are easy to use and effective even in strong wind and humidity conditions.

Fuel types and composition

Alcohol tablets, popular among tourists, hunters and fishermen, have nothing to do with alcohols. They contain various substances that burn with a colorless flame without smoke, soot and ash formation. It is because of this that they got their name. Dry fuel is produced from urotropine with the addition of paraffin, metaldehyde or calcium acetate solvate. It is recommended to protect this type of fuel from dampness, as in this case sparks are formed during combustion.

Means "Kayur" on the basis of paraffin and cellulose are made in the form of candles with an unlimited duration. It keeps burning for 7-9 minutes without emitting unpleasant odors.

"Eternal" matches in the form of a keychain are equipped with flint. It is placed on a wick that is screwed into a body filled with gasoline or kerosene. Designed for 15,000 ignitions.

Dry fuel can be equipped with a special burner case. The flame is extinguished instantly when it is closed.

The summer vacation has come and people began to ask about the essentials. Sometimes interesting questions come across. The fact is that for different periods and different cases, I use different type fuel. And I was asked to describe the reasons for the choice, as well as tell me how to choose the most versatile type of fuel. In fact, the choice of the type of fuel is quite narrow and the choice, in fact, comes from several options.

  • Liquid fuel
  • alcohol,
  • dry fuel,
  • chips,
  • firewood.

It's up to you to choose ...

Liquid fuel

Liquid fuels have been used in tourism and kitchens for quite some time. It all started with a kerosene stove. This is the simplest version of a heating device. The kerosene wicks were lowered into the kerosene reservoir and the exhaust pipes were located above them. Not good effective method using fuel, but it is significantly better than using wood or coal. The kerosene stove looks like this.

Later, they figured out how to exclude wicks from the process of fire formation, and stoves were created like a kerosene stove, with an asbestos and cotton wick. Asbestos wicks were distinguished by high fuel consumption, on average 180-190 grams per hour, but at the same time they had a high heat transfer. But for kerosene gases based on a cotton wick, they consumed about 80 grams per hour, but the power was also lower. Kerogaz looked like this.


Wikipedia

But technology did not stand still. And in 1892 the primus was invented by Franz Wilhelm Lindqvist. This invention turned out to be very successful both for the tourist world and for everyday life in principle. Also now there are a lot of gasoline burners for cooking. Tourist burner compact, fueled with kerosene or gasoline Here is one example of a burner for liquid fuel.

What is the plus of this fuel? Liquid fuels are easier to find in various less civilized places. For example, in villages or on the highway, finding liquid fuel is much easier than any other type of fuel produced using technical means... It is simpler only alcohol, but not every sold alcohol actually burns as it should. Gasoline, on average, emits about 10,572 kcal per kilogram. This is less than the calorific value of the propane-butane mixture or each of them separately. But gasoline has a series of big plus points.

Of the minuses, I want to note only a small technical difficulty in preparing an oil burner. There are also cases when fuel tanks are spilled in a backpack and almost all synthetic materials fall into disrepair. Fortunately, I myself did not get into such a situation, but I heard about such cases often.

Gas mixtures

Camping gas burners are one of the simplest and most common methods of cooking on camping trips. Gas burners impress with their simplicity. Besides ease of use, gas has a higher heating value than gasoline. For example, butane - 11783 kcal / kg, propane - 11961 kcal / kg. But at the same time, do not forget that gas mixtures lose liquid fuel in volume. When fuel is burned, gas is consumed faster than gasoline. One liter of gasoline corresponds to 1.13 liters of butane or 1.27 liters of propane. The overwhelming majority of tourist cylinders use butane. And in mixtures, propane is used only as an additive.

It turns out that a high calorific value affects not so much the economy of fuel, but rather the speed of cooking.

Now let's touch on the disadvantages of gas burners. The main problem is in the gas cartridges. An empty gas cartridge has a certain weight and is disposable. It turns out that after using a gas cylinder, you still need to carry it to the trash can. Due to the fact that there are many types of connections and types of gas cartridges (cylinders), a situation may arise that the required gas cartridges are not available. For example, the most common and almost always commercially available is a cartridge with a collet connector, the next one with a threaded connection, and then there are punctured ones.

And one more minus which I want to warn you about. Gas burners behave very badly in the cold. Even if a winter gas mixture with a large amount of propane and isobutane is used, they still burn very badly and the cylinders have to be heated.

In the summer period of tourist travel, it is still preferable to use gas cylinders. Especially if there are people in the group who are poorly versed in technology.

Alcohol burners

Alcohol burners are not widely used in Russia and are not badly distributed in some armies of the world as an individual burner for heating food. I took similar burners for a test and did not like the results a little. The flame is clean, without soot, but they have a very weak fire. The fact is that the calorific value of alcohol is 7100 kcal / kg, which is almost two times less than that of gas and gasoline. Actually, the speed of boiling water in alcohol turned out to be really protracted. The burners I had from the Tatonka company and the Swiss army burner M-39 boiled water in my pot for about 20-25 minutes, on a Kovea KV-0101 gas burner this process takes 7-10 minutes (depending on the gas cartridge used).

In principle, for the purpose of heating up dry soldering, an alcohol burner is quite suitable, but for full-fledged cooking on a hike it will interfere. The alcohol burner captivates only with its simple and condos, there is absolutely nothing to break, it is relatively light and the fuel can be transported directly in it.

Dry fuel

Dry fuel is a special tablet made of so-called dry alcohol. The vast majority of dry fuel tablets consist of urotropine. In terms of calorific value, it is close to alcohol 7500 kcal / kg. Accordingly, when using one or two tablets, you will have to be patient and wait for the water to boil.

Of the advantages, I want to note the ease of use of dry fuel, its unpretentiousness and full consumption when used as fuel.

The cons are obvious. If you go on a short weekend hike, then dry fuel will be a very convenient way to heat food and boil tea. I want to note that many put on the plus the absence of any combustion devices, for example, burners. In this I do not agree at all, even for boiling water, a stand or taganok is needed, there are a lot of burners on sale, it is also fashionable to make a stand on your own, but people only encounter its need when they leave the house. And I never cease to be amazed, do people think that the dishes will hang in the air? The next problem with dry fuel is that the flame is easily knocked off by the wind and it is necessary to fence the windshield. Also, most tablets of dry fuel have an unpleasant odor of urotropine, and if the briquette with tablets is stored in a closed pot, then the contents of the pot acquire this unpleasant odor.


Alloy

By the way, here is an example of a stand for dry fuel sold in the Splav company. On this moment costs 330 rubles for 8 tablets and a stand. Total weight 395 grams. The stand is made of aluminum.

Dry fuels are great for heating food. It is used in the form of a set of four tablets and an impromptu taganka that must be bent from a tin plate along the perforation. For this kind of use, dry fuel is ideal.

Splinter

Highly interesting thing... A special container-stand for using wood chips, twigs, cones and other forest debris for heating and cooking food. They are most often used in the form of homemade devices. But the tourism industry does not stand still and dozens of different types of wood chips are presented to the public.

And so, let's analyze the work of the wood chip and again look at the table of the calorific value of a tree, which ranges from 4000 kcal / kg to 4700 kcal / kg, depending on the type of wood. Due to the fact that chips and dry twigs have a large air gap, combustion occurs with more high speed than that of a monolithic log and therefore the rate of heat release is high, which can equate in efficiency to an alcohol burner. Judging by the reviews of friends, a liter of water in an aluminum pan boils in about 10 minutes, which is comparable to a gas burner.

What are the advantages of a woodchip? The weight of such a stove can be scanty and you can make it at home even from the power supply unit of the system unit.

Also, the fuel for this furnace will be used at the place of arrival, which saves the weight of the equipment carried. Many wood chips allow you to quickly start a fire and start cooking. Many wood chip designs are so oak that they do not allow them to be damaged even during hard transport. The pinch is easy to use for untrained people. The material consumption of the shredder is high, but many designs allow you to quickly add fuel.

Also, the shredder has disadvantages due to which it cannot be a universal remedy. Firstly, it is an open fire that needs to be looked after more carefully than gas and gasoline burners. Due to the use of wood chips, this stove generates a lot of smoke and it is unrealistic to use it in field kitchens and cabins. The pinch cannot be quickly extinguished; you will need to empty the contents of the oven and extinguish everything with water. Also, due to the large surface, this type of oven is not suitable for weekend hikes and for quickly heating food. And do not forget that for its operation it is at least necessary that in the place where it is used there is the necessary fuel.

Firewood and bonfires

And back to the lowest in terms of calorific value. To the tree. By the tree different breeds the calorific value fluctuates greatly and can be taken on average as 3500 kcal / kg. But firewood has an undeniable quality that is difficult to kill - these are huge reserves of firewood in the forest. But in order to use firewood, you need some equipment. At the very least, you need an ax or a saw, and their weight can be compared to a small supply of gas cylinders with a burner or the weight of a gasoline burner with fuel. But if you are planning a long hike through the forest, then it is more expedient to use firewood.

The bonfire is very romantic, but only if there are supplies of it along the way, because you can't carry a lot of firewood with you. For some reason, thanks to the large amount of firewood, you can cook food very quickly and the volume of the fire is enough for cooking several dishes in a row.

The disadvantages of a campfire are often the fact that burnt dishes become very dirty and must be cleaned before being put into a backpack. The dishes on the fire are not stable, therefore, if there are people on the hike with little experience of communicating with fires and even more so cooking over a fire, then you will have to take tripods, taganks or special tension steel strings with you. You can also use branches of living trees in place, but I do not recommend doing this in places where tourists congregate, because the young growth will quickly end.

Outcome

Each type of fuel and burner has its own niche. Different cooking methods can be used on different occasions, from a fire to a gas oven.

If you think about the fact that nowadays a lot of tourists rest in campsites or on lakes in the summer, then I would recommend taking the usual gas-burners and not bother with all kinds of wood chips and gasoline primus of their grandfathers.

 

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