[pct-l] Ethanol Btu Content

[Bighummel@aol.com]

Someone asked for ethanol's Btu content recently and I can't seem recall who 
and didn't see a response, so here goes.  

Ethyl Alcohol (ethanol, C2H6O) offers 12,780 Btu's per pound of liquid or, 
84,600 Btu's per gallon of liquid.  

For reference this compares to butane (C4H10) with 21,136 Btu/lb. and 102,980 
Btu/gallon.

I don't know this stuff, just where to find it.  I found it in "Physical 
Constants of Hydrocarbons", Natural Gas Processors Suppliers Association.

The beauty of ethanol (or for that matter any of the alcohols) is that they 
require less air (read oxygen) to combust efficiently than other hydrocarbons 
because they carry  oxygen in their chemical components.  Thus, I surmise the 
ability of the Pepsi Can - Tuna Can stoves to operate efficiently without 
pressurized fuel/air mixing as in most other fueled stoves and this is the 
reason that they require a little time to heat up before they operate 
efficiently.  Heat is required to liberate the oxygen from the molecular bond 
and thus from cold you don't get the benefit until the stove warms up to a 
temperature where the bond is broken.

Chemistry class is over for today.  Homework is due on Tuesday.  Wake up in 
the back!!!

Best regards,

Greg "Strider" Hummel
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