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

Often there are situations when there is a need for a quick extraction of fire. Or vice versa, there are no materials and means to maintain it. Most often, such situations occur in people who are fond of hiking and traveling 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 may arise in domestic conditions, if there are no dry wood materials for ignition at hand. In such situations, you may need a substance that is characterized by certain properties. It should be combustible, dry, easy to ignite, keep the fire for a long time and easily extinguish.

What's this?

There is such a substance capable of sustaining combustion in a small amount long time. It's called dry alcohol. The strength and time of burning even a small amount of such a substance can be enough to cook food. In fact, this substance has nothing to do with alcohols. In common with alcohols - only a good ability to burn. In general, "dry alcohol" refers to any substance that can burn with a colorless flame without smoke and soot and does not leave traces of ash during combustion. During combustion, dry fuel turns into water and carbon dioxide. The first immediately evaporates, under the action of outgoing heat, and carbon dioxide dissipates in the surrounding air.

Dry fuel. Compound

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 were given the name urotropin. This substance itself and its compounds with proved to be good anti-inflammatory and which can still be found in pharmacies. Second excellent property of this compound was the ability to burn without the formation of ash. Dry fuel in tablets, sold in the store, consists of urotropine with a small amount of paraffin. This type of "dry alcohol" is very convenient to use. Urotropin is a very flammable substance in itself. Dry, it ignites very quickly from an ordinary match. And it goes out easily, it is worth covering it with something. Even when damp, urotropine is able to ignite, but at the same time it crackles and scatters sparks. Despite the fact that "dry alcohol" is quite easy to buy at any hardware store, a small amount of it can be prepared at home.

Formalin+ammonia

To do this, 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 in the open air, 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 the crystals of urotropine begin to precipitate. After that, the mixture must be cooled, and the urotropin must be filtered and dried. Then, mixed 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 do-it-yourself dry fuel can be obtained at home, with some chemical components available. It is obtained by mixing chilled with a few drops of sulfuric acid. As a result of mixing the two liquids, solid metaldehyde is formed. It is insoluble in water and alcohol and burns well without producing smoke and ash.

Ethanol + calcium acetate

Solvate calcium acetate also refers to "dry alcohols". It can be obtained if 10 ml of concentrated calcium acetate is quickly added to 170 ml of ethyl alcohol. As a result, the solution will harden very quickly and will resemble white soap. From the resulting mass, cubes or plates can be cut. The combustion of calcium acetate solvate produces a small amount of ash and acetone, which is also highly susceptible to combustion.

About burners

Dry fuel in tablets is most often used for heating and cooking in the field. But for this you still need a special burner.

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

If the journey is by car, then it will be more convenient to use a modern one. But this fact does not mean that the dry fuel burner 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.

Burner features

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

Completeness of the burner

This type of burner is widely used not only for tourism purposes. They are part of the soldier's equipment, the pilot's survival kit and those in distress. 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, it is good that some metal products at hand can be used as a taganka, for example, 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 various manufacturers have one drawback in common - this is the lack of a cover. It is indispensable for boiling water using dry fuel. In a closed container, water boils much faster, which saves "dry alcohol", which can be the only source of a full-fledged fire. Also, the lid will keep the water warm for a longer time.

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

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

Only experienced hikers can understand that there is nothing more pleasant after a long and tiring journey than to wash your face with clean water and relax with a mug of freshly brewed tea.

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

Answer from Elena Leshchenko[guru]
This photo is a joke! Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) С2Н5ОН - colorless liquid, easily
evaporating (boiling point 64.7 °C, melting point -97.8 °C). Therefore, this cup with a bag is in freezer at t below -98C. Difficulty adding water! Well, even if you fantasize and add it in some way, you get a rectified. Add water to such an amount of alcohol as in the photo - you get a very low-alcohol drink - as strong as beer. In general, "Dry alcohol" is called a variety of substances that burn with an almost colorless flame without smoke and soot, and when burned, do not leave the slightest trace 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 (СH2)6N4 were formed. This substance is called hexamethylenetetramine, or urotropine. Both urotropin itself and its compound with calcium chloride (calcex) turned out to be good anti-inflammatory and diuretic agents, and therefore they can now be bought at any pharmacy. Urotropin has an international name - METHENAMINE (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 breakdown of methenamine occurs in the kidneys, as well as in the focus of inflammation (because the development of inflammation is accompanied by a change in the reaction of the environment to the acid side). Indications. Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract (cystitis, pyelitis). So theoretically I could "taste" such "dry alcohol" if I had these diseases.
Another remarkable property of urotropine is the ability to burn without the formation of ash. Tablets or briquettes of purchased dry fuel consist of urotropine with a small addition of paraffin. This fuel is very convenient to use: it is easily ignited by a match, easily extinguished.
Consumer market:
1. Fishermen, tourists, geologists, gardeners: cooking, lighting fires and charcoal, heating tents.
2. For kindling stoves, barbecues, fireplaces, barbecues.
3. Motorists: used to warm up the engine crankcase, calcining idle candles.
The tablet burns without smoke and smell, it is easily ignited with an ordinary match, the burning time is 14-15 minutes. , combustion temperature - 900 .
Metaldehyde is the second kind of "dry alcohol". This tetramer (four-link polymer) of acetaldehyde has the formula (CH3CHO)4. If a few drops of sulfuric acid diluted (1:1) with water are added to acetaldehyde (acetaldehyde), a colorless volatile liquid with a characteristic odor, cooled below 0 o C, 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 calcium acetate solvate. If 10 ml of a concentrated aqueous solution of calcium acetate is quickly added to 170 ml of ethanol, the mixture hardens almost instantly into a translucent mass, similar to white soap. From such a mass, you can cut cubes that burn beautifully when ignited.

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

Dry fuel has 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 for 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 goods reach 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.

Urotropin burns without the formation of ash. Easily ignited with a match. The flame is quickly extinguished when the air supply is interrupted by covering with a cap or cup. Damp tablets based on this substance, when burned, make a crack and scatter sparks. Metaldehyde in the combustion process when interacting with air forms carbon dioxide and water vapor. Therefore, it does not leave 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. Compact and appreciated by hikers. Takes up little space in a backpack, easy to carry.

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

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

Dry fuel made on the basis of urotropine during combustion releases caustic substances: formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and ammonia.


The toxicity of substances is not high when distributed in the open air. However, you should not deliberately inhale the smoke generated during the combustion of the tablet. Metaldehyde is only harmful if swallowed. The breakdown product of calcium acetate is Zala. She is safe.

Types of dry fuel

The product market is represented trademarks 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 Pathfinder dry fuel. Products received by the consumer undergo a series of mandatory tests, produced on high-tech equipment with the participation of specialists - chemists. It's for lovers active rest on the outskirts of civilization, for fishermen and hunters, gardeners and vacationers in summer cottages.


The manufacturer suggests using pelletized fuel for lighting a fire, barbecues, stoves and for an independent source of heat.

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

Esbit dry fuel pellets are packaged in packs of 4 in waterproof plastic sections. 4 sections are packed in a cardboard box of small dimensions. The weight of the box is 88 g. Compactness allows you to put it in a small backpack or outerwear pocket. Plastic sections provide moisture protection. If the storage conditions are observed, the fuel does not have an expiration date.


The weight of one tablet is 5 g. It is able to generate enough heat to heat up a portion of food not exceeding 250 g. To heat large volumes or boil 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, not available to everyone due to the 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 foam (you can use the remaining 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 components;
  • 15 minutes, the mixture is slowly stirred with a stick.

Gasoline corrodes foam. A mass is formed in consistency similar to steeply kneaded dough, easily accepted by any shape. The finished substance is rolled into a ball, wrapped in plastic bags. As necessary, you need to pinch off the required amount of fuel and use it for its intended purpose.

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


  1. In a tin, melt 20 g of paraffin over low heat. They take it off the fire.
  2. Tweezers capture three cotton pads stacked.
  3. Cotton pads are dipped into uncured paraffin and held for 5-10 seconds.
  4. Lay out the impregnated 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 not more than 5 liters is placed in a bowl of cold water.
  2. Pour 100 g of formalin into a container.
  3. In a thin stream, 1 liter of ammonia is added in portions to the formalin.
  4. Mix the ingredients, close the lid and leave alone for a day.

The procedure is done outdoors. The chemical reaction that takes place during mixing releases toxic fumes.

A day later, the contents of the pan are evaporated in a water bath until crystals are obtained. The substance that resulted from the work of a home chemist is the same urotropin. It can be applied as a powder or triturated with paraffin and formed into tablets.

When fishing and camping, it is important that you can start a fire at any time. For this, a diverse range of dry fuel 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 conditions of strong wind and humidity.

Types and composition of fuel

Popular among tourists, hunters and fishermen, alcohol tablets have nothing to do with alcohol. They include various substances that burn with a colorless flame without smoke, soot and ash formation. It is from 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" based on paraffin and cellulose is made in the form of candles with an unlimited duration. It supports combustion 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, which is screwed into the body filled with gasoline or kerosene. Designed for 15,000 ignitions.

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

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

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

The point is small, choose ...

Liquid fuel

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

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


Wikipedia

But technology has not stood still. And in 1892 Franz Wilhelm Lindqvist invented the stove. This invention turned out to be very successful both for the tourist world and for everyday life in general. Also now there are a lot of gas burners for cooking. A tourist burner is compact, fueled with kerosene or gasoline. Here is one example of a liquid fuel burner.

What is the advantage of this fuel? Liquid fuel is easier to find in various uncivilized 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. Only alcohol is simpler, but not any sold alcohol actually burns as it should. Gasoline on average releases 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 pluses.

Of the minuses, I want to note only a slight technical difficulty in the preparation of a liquid fuel burner. There are also cases when fuel tanks spill in a backpack and almost all synthetic materials are falling into disrepair. I myself, fortunately, did not get into such a situation, but I heard about such cases often.

Gas mixtures

Gas camping stoves are one of the simplest and most common methods of camping cooking. Gas burners captivate with their simplicity. In addition to 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, we 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 vast majority of travel cylinders use butane. And in mixtures, propane is used only as an additive.

It turns out that a large calorific value affects not so much fuel economy as the speed of cooking.

Now let's touch on the cons of gas burners. The main problem is gas cartridges. An empty gas cartridge has a certain weight and is disposable. It turns out that after using the gas cylinder, you still need to carry it to the trash. Due to the fact that there are many types of connections and types of gas cartridges (cylinders), it may happen that there are no necessary gas cartridges. For example, the most common and almost always available for sale is a cartridge with a collet connector, the next one is with a threaded connection, and then there are puncture cartridges.

And one more minus about which I want to warn. Gas burners behave very poorly in the cold. Even if a winter gas mixture with a large amount of propane and isobutane is used, they still burn very poorly 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 very common in Russia and are not badly distributed in some armies of the world as an individual burner for heating food. I took these burners for a test and I didn’t 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 on alcohol turned out to be really protracted. The burners I had from Tatonka and the Swiss army burner M-39 boiled water in my pot in about 20-25 minutes, on the Kovea KV-0101 gas burner this process takes 7-10 minutes (depending on the gas cartridge used).

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

Dry fuel

Dry fuel is special tablets made from 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 downsides are obvious. If you go on a short weekend hike, then dry fuel will be a very convenient tool for heating food and boiling tea. I want to note that many put a plus on the absence of any combustion devices, for example, burners. I don’t agree at all with this, even for boiling water you need a stand or taganok, there are a lot of burners for sale, it’s also fashionable to make a stand yourself, but people only face its need when they leave the house. And I never cease to wonder, do people think that the dishes will hang in the air? The next problem with dry fuel is that the flame is easily knocked down by the wind and it is necessary to block the windshield. Also, most dry fuel tablets have an unpleasant odor of urotropine, and if the briquette with tablets is stored in a closed pot, the contents of the pot acquire this unpleasant odor.


Alloy

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

Dry fuel is 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 use, dry fuel is just perfect.

wood chipper

Very interesting thing. Special container-stand for the use of wood chips, twigs, cones and other forest debris for heating and cooking. 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 a wood chipper 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 a monolithic log and therefore the rate of heat release is high, which can equate in terms of 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 chipper? The weight of such a furnace can be scanty and you can make it at home even from the power supply of the system unit.

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

Also, the wood chipper 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 is unrealistic to use in field kitchens and cabins. The wood chipper cannot be quickly extinguished, it will be necessary to pour out the contents of the furnace and extinguish everything with water. Also, due to the large surface, this type of oven is not suitable for weekend trips 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 campfires

And back to the lowest in terms of calorific value. To the tree. By the tree different breeds the calorific value fluctuates greatly and on average can be taken as 3500 kcal / kg. But firewood has an undeniable quality that is difficult to kill - it is a huge supply of firewood in the forest. But in order to use firewood, you need some equipment. At a minimum, you need an ax or a saw, and their weight can be compared with a small supply of gas cylinders with a burner or the weight of a gasoline burner with fuel. But if you plan 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 route, 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 to cook several dishes in a row.

The disadvantages of a campfire are often manifested in the fact that burnt dishes become very dirty and have to be cleaned before being put into a backpack. The dishes on the fire are not stable, so if there are people on the campaign with little experience in dealing with fires, and even more so cooking on a fire, then you will have to take tripods, tagankas or special tension steel strings with you. You can still use the branches of living trees locally, but I don’t recommend doing this in crowded places because the young growth will quickly end.

Outcome

Each type of fuel and burner has its niche. V different occasions you can use different methods of cooking, from a fire to a gas oven.

If you take into account the fact that at the present time a lot of tourists are resting in campsites or on lakes in the summer, then I would recommend taking ordinary gas-burners and not bother with all sorts of wood chips and gasoline stoves of their grandfathers.

 

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