Re: [Paddlewise] Denatured Alcohol

Patrick Maun wrote:
> Though I have no evidence to back this up, I have heard that using
> alcohol formulated for stove usage will cook cleaner (no soot) and
> hotter. <snip>  I've been using Origo alcohol for years and have
> been really happy with it.
>
> I am not sure if it is better, but I have heard from people
> using regular denatured alcohol that they get less than stellar
> performance from their stoves.
>
>
There is no such thing as regular denatured alcohol.

Denaturing alcohol is the process of adding something to ethanol to make it
unfit for human consumption.  This process is highly regulated by the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, as alcohol for human consumption is
heavily taxed.  While it is possible to buy un-denatured alcohol without
paying the taxes, there's a lot of red tape for doing so.   In most
industrial uses, there is some type of denatured alcohol that can be used
without adverse effects.

The list of Government-approved denaturants is found here (27 CFR 21.151):
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=27&PART=21&SECTION
=151&YEAR=2002&TYPE=TEXT
(cut and paste the link)

and the list of Government-approved formulas for denaturing alcohol is found
here (27 CFR, Part 21, scroll down to the desired formula number and click
on one of the links):
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_02/27cfr21_02.html

The difference of how one denatured alcohol burns in an alcohol stove vs.
another one is related to the chemical that is used as the denaturant.
Gasoline, kerosene, and other hydrocarbons will produce a more sooty flame
than will 3-A alcohol - perhaps the 'cleanest' denatured alcohol, which
contains 5% methanol as the denaturant.

Generally speaking, the more oxygenated the denaturant, the cleaner it will
burn.  Does the Origo container indicate either a formula number or the
denaturant(s) by name?

Play Hard,
Erik Sprenne
(also a chemist)

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