A Homemade Bunsen Burner For Outdoor Use

 In this article, an improvised-built Bunsen burner is presented. The materials and processes for the construction of this equipment are described and a quick introduction to the factors that affect the behavior of the flame is presented.

 
 

 

 

 

My alcohol lamp served me for a long time. It was possible to do almost anything with it, including melting small portions of lead or concentrating small volumes of sulfuric acid.

However, I felt the need for an apparatus in which it was possible to adjust the heating in a more comfortable way. The project now published fills this gap.  

 

 

 

 

I thought that the air regulator, being made of plastic, would be one of the critical parts of this project. However, I found that: 

 

 1) The flame does not appear to burn inside the tube or even at the open end of it, there appears to be a millimeter interface between the lower end of the flame and the gas flow at the outlet of the tube. That is, the flame front does not seem to hit the metal at any time, but rather to burn a millimeter or less just above it. It is possible that this is a characteristic of this specific system and the low gas injection pressures involved. 

 

 2) The gas leaves the cylinder at a really low temperature and cannot exchange heat with the ambient before reaching the burner. In fact, in some moments, even in full operation, it is possible to feel the bottom of the aluminum tube slightly cold  

 

 3) The use of a heatsink as a base was really efficient in removing any residual heat before it reached the regulator.

 

 

 

 

The gas regulator is a point that deserves continuous attention. It worked incredibly well and tests carried out under water proved that there were no leaks of any kind. However, it is still a homemade regulator being used to extract flammable gas from a pressurized cylinder. Since the device will be used exclusively outdoors, small leaks of gas at the regulator junctions - more dangerous for this poor chemist's wallet than for his safety, I would say - can be induced by the vibrations of daily use. I intend to replace it with a suitable regulator as soon as possible. 

 

 

 

Having said all that, I am happy for my new equipment. Heating things up to moderate temperatures will become a little easier now.