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Glycerin Is an Interesting Fuel


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Posted

Have been exploring glycerin [C3H5(OH)3] as a fuel with alkaline salt oxidizers. The best mixes, in order, have been (1) glycerin + NaClO4, and (2) glycerin + KClO3 + a pinch of MnO2. The latter, which is a grey putty, burns like very good R-candy. The former burns like a very high energy APCP.

 

Here are the (stoichiometric) mixes I tried, all based on 1g glycerin, together with balanced equations:

 

1g Glycerin -- C3H5(OH)3

 

1. 2.3g NaClO4

4C3H5(OH)3 + 7NaClO4 = 12CO2 + 16H2O + 7NaCl

 

2. 2.7g NaClO3

 

3C3H5(OH)3 + 7NaClO3 = 9CO2 + 12H2O + 7NaCl

 

3. 2.6g NaNO3

 

5C3H5(OH)3 + 14NaNO3 = 15CO2 + 20H2O + 7Na2O + 7N2

 

4. 3.1g KClO3

 

3C3H5(OH)3 + 7KClO3 = 9CO2 + 12H2O + 7KCl

 

5. 2.6g KClO4

 

4C3H5(OH)3 + 7KClO4 = 12CO2 + 16H2O + 7KCl

 

6. 3.1g KNO3

 

5C3H5(OH)3 + 14KNO3 = 15CO2 + 20H2O + 7K2O + 7N2

 

The two nitrate mixes were the least energetic.

Posted

What you wan`t to use them fore, maybe give some more information, then just mix.

 

Btw. there are no alkaline salts in your list, all of them are neutral (or nearly) neutral oxidisers.

 

If i think about the fact, that you say its a putty, you cant use that for a r-candy substitute, as every core would close up by itself.

 

Also did you dry the glycerine? Normal technical stuff is just around 80% Glycerine +-

 

Posted

Just be careful... chlorates are sensitive and there aren't much sensitivity information on them. Has anyone done sensitivity tests with chlorate/glycerin mix?

Posted

What you wan`t to use them fore, maybe give some more information, then just mix. Btw. there are no alkaline salts in your list, all of them are neutral (or nearly) neutral oxidisers. If i think about the fact, that you say its a putty, you cant use that for a r-candy substitute, as every core would close up by itself. Also did you dry the glycerine? Normal technical stuff is just around 80% Glycerine +-

 

Should have written "alkali metal salts." The glycerin was in its usual state, wet and slightly sticky. It stiffened up quite a bit when mixed with the various oxidants. Didn't say the mix was a substitute for r-candy; just that it burned like r-candy. As to use, I'm an experimenter who is just reporting the results of experiments. The equations are for those who want a snapshot of reaction products or who want to do their own stoichiometry.

 

 

Just be careful... chlorates are sensitive and there aren't much sensitivity information on them. Has anyone done sensitivity tests with chlorate/glycerin mix?

 

Appreciate the caution. I first dealt with KClO3 in 1960. I'm mindful of its propensities and experiment with it in small, unconfined amounts.

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