Ethanol is a commonly used substance for combustion due to its ease of production and low emission of pollutants. It is often used in vehicle engines and ethanol burners, which produce heat and light. However, it produces less heat energy than other fuels.
Combustion is a term that simply means the burning of things. It happens all the time around us, from the flame of a lighter to the controlled explosion that fuels the engine of a muscle car. Different substances for combustion are constantly being considered for various reasons including the abundance of the substance being burned and what is produced when this happens. One such substance often used for combustion is ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
Combustion of ethanol is quite simple. Ethanol and oxygen enter into a chemical reaction with the help of a small amount of energy. The reaction results in a significant release of energy in the form of heat and light, as well as the formation of carbon dioxide and water.
The combustion of ethanol can be represented chemically using molecular formulas. Ethanol, represented by C2H5OH, combines with six oxygen atoms denoted as 3O2. When the reaction is started through the addition of energy in the form of heat or a spark, 2CO2 and 3H2O (two carbon dioxide and three water molecules) are formed. Energy is also released when the reaction occurs.
Ethyl alcohol has advantages and disadvantages over other common fuels. Burning ethanol produces a quiet flame that emits few major pollutants compared to petroleum-based fuels. Ethyl alcohol is also produced relatively easily from fermenting plant materials, while other fuels require significantly more difficult processes to create. Burning ethanol, however, produces less heat energy than many other commonly used fuel materials.
One of the most common places for ethanol combustion to occur is in vehicle engines. It is not uncommon for some agricultural machinery and other light vehicles to run on ethanol fuel only. Most cars in the United States of America run on a blend of petrol and petroleum and a small percentage of ethanol, although this requires the vehicle’s fuel injectors to be properly tuned. In Brazil and some other countries, cars can be found that run on almost pure ethyl alcohol or very high percentage blends.
Another common use of ethanol is in ethanol burners. These devices are also known as alcohol lamps and spirit stoves. They burn alcohol to produce heat and light and can be found in science labs, boats, camping kits, and homes. Some ethanol burners simply use a wick to feed the alcohol to the burning site, while others use gravity or more complex systems. These devices tend not to burn as much as similar ones that use other fuels, but are considered safer in many situations.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
