Alcohol burner

Alcohol Burner

An alcohol burner or spirit lamp is a piece of laboratory equipment used to produce an open flame. It can be made from glass, brass, or aluminum. Alcohol burners are commonly used in laboratories and classrooms for heating, sterilization, and combustion.

Design and Function

Alcohol burners consist of a small reservoir to hold the alcohol fuel, a wick that draws the alcohol up to the flame, and a cap to extinguish the flame and prevent evaporation when not in use. The burner is typically filled with denatured alcohol, ethanol, or methanol.

Materials

• Glass Alcohol Burners: These are often used in educational settings due to their transparency, which allows users to see the fuel level.
• Metal Alcohol Burners: Made from materials such as aluminum or brass, these are more durable and often used in more demanding laboratory environments.

Operation

To operate an alcohol burner, the user fills the reservoir with alcohol, inserts the wick, and lights the wick with a match or lighter. The flame can be adjusted by changing the length of the exposed wick. To extinguish the flame, the cap is placed over the wick to cut off the oxygen supply.

Applications

Alcohol burners are used in various applications, including:

• Laboratory experiments requiring a small, controlled flame.
• Cooking in portable stoves, such as the Trangia system.
• Sterilization of equipment in microbiology and medical settings.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• Simple and easy to use.
• Portable and lightweight.
• Produces a clean flame with minimal soot.

Disadvantages

• Limited heat output compared to other burners like Bunsen burners.
• Requires careful handling to prevent spills and evaporation.

Safety Considerations

When using an alcohol burner, it is important to:

• Use in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling fumes.
• Keep flammable materials away from the flame.
• Ensure the burner is stable and cannot be easily knocked over.
• Allow the burner to cool before refilling.

Related Pages

• Bunsen burner
• Laboratory equipment
• Trangia
• Denatured alcohol

Gallery

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  Aluminum alcohol burner

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  Alcohol burner in use

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  Trangia spirit burner

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  Trangia burner

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  Capping an alcohol burner

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  Glass alcohol burner

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  Aluminum alcohol burner

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  Alcohol burner

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  Trangia Spirit Burner

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  Trangia burner

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  Capping

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  Glass alcohol burner