Chafing fuel is a fuel used for heating food, typically placed under a
chafing dish. It is usually sold in a small canister and burned directly within that canister, with or without a
wick.
The fuel often contains
methanol,
ethanol
Ethanol (abbr. EtOH; also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound. It is an alcohol with the chemical formula . Its formula can be also written as or (an ethyl group linked to a h ...
, or
diethylene glycol
Diethylene glycol (DEG) is an organic compound with the formula (HOCH2CH2)2O. It is a colorless, practically odorless, and hygroscopic liquid with a sweetish taste. It is a four carbon dimer of ethylene glycol. It is miscible in water, alcoho ...
, as these may be burned safely indoors, and produce minimal
soot
Soot ( ) is a mass of impure carbon particles resulting from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. It is more properly restricted to the product of the gas-phase combustion process but is commonly extended to include the residual pyrolyse ...
or odour. These fuels are also used for emergency heating, outdoor cooking, and
fondue
Fondue (, , ) is a Swiss melted cheese dish served in a communal pot ( ''caquelon'' or fondue pot) over a portable stove () heated with a candle or spirit lamp, and eaten by dipping bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks. It was promot ...
.
Types of fuel
The first two fuels are similar with regards to consistency, both having a gel form (viscosities can vary with brand), operating procedures, and product design. The common gel methanol or ethanol chafing fuel is contained in a steel can with a resealable plug lid in sizes based on burn times. Two-, four-, and six-hour burn times are the most common sizes of methanol and ethanol chafing fuels available. The colour of the fuel being used can also vary among manufacturers.
Both ethanol and methanol have low flash points, 11–17 °C, making them highly
flammable
A combustible material is something that can burn (i.e., ''combust'') in air. A combustible material is flammable if it ignites easily at ambient temperatures. In other words, a combustible material ignites with some effort and a flammable mat ...
; diethylene glycol, with a flash point of 154 °C, is considered safer because spilled DEG fuel will not combust; it needs a
wick to burn. The fuel is in a liquid form and thus the canister in which it is contained usually differs by having a more leak resistant screw cap rather than a plug.
Comparison of energy yield
Ethanol has a
heat of combustion
The heating value (or energy value or calorific value) of a substance, usually a fuel or food (see food energy), is the amount of heat released during the combustion of a specified amount of it.
The ''calorific value'' is the total energy rele ...
of 22.28 kJ/mL, similar to the 22.7 kJ/mL energy yield of diethylene glycol. Methanol is slightly less energetic, yielding 17.94 kJ/mL.
See also
*
Sterno
References
{{reflist
Alcohols
Liquid fuels