[pct-l] Stoves, stoves and more stoves....

[Daniel Zellman]

Jim,

Thanks so much for your detailed and wonderfully comprehensible comparison
of the physics/chemistry of the different fuels. I've been looking for this
type of info online, but most of what I've been able to find has been a
little too science-y for an English-major like me to really understand. You
lay it out in by far the most understandable way I've come across so far.

Kudos!

-dz

On Fri, Jan 18, 2013 at 1:07 PM, Jim Marco <jdm27 at cornell.edu> wrote:

> MendoRider,
>         Yeah, propane as a fuel is not bad. It is slightly better than
> white gas in energy content. However, the actual can for containing the gas
> nearly doubles the weight. A typical 3.77oz can actually weighs close to
> 7oz depending on which one you purchased. Because they come in incremental
> parts, they tend to criss-cross back and forth with alcohol for best weight
> for volume, provided you can toss an empty canister, immediately.
> Anyway, Propane is about the best at 20,700 BTU/lb. Kero and WG are about
> 180000 to 19000 depending on purity and mix. Methanol is only about 9000
> and ethanol is about 12000 or so. I believe that Esbits are only 13000 or
> so.
>         But after adding in for a can canisters and alcohol are about the
> same. Esbits do not burn totally, leaving a film or residue, thus lowering
> heat content. WG and Kero need heavy appliances to mix fuel before burning.
> At the end of two weeks, they all come so close to being even (perhaps
> three or four ounces different) that I just ignore the fuel wars that go
> on. Alcohol/esbit is the heaviest initially, but lightest at the end. WG is
> the lightest initially but heaviest at the end. But, that's at my
> usage...about 2 quarts a day plus cooking. A 1oz soda bottle works for up
> to 20floz of WG or Alcohol. The density is around .8, btw.
>         My thoughts only . . .
>                 jdm