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Re: Model Airplane Fuel

>Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 14:19:02 -0700
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Model Airplane Fuel
>From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>
>Original Poster: "christopher boden" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com> 
>
><<<< Sam Barros was thinking of using only the oil that is a
component of
>modeling fuel not the fuel itself.  That would be bad :-))  I think
it is
>like "2 Stroke Oil". - Terry >>>>  
>
>
>DO NOT USE MODEL-AIRPLANE FUEL FOR SPARK-QUENCHING!
>Model Airplane fuel is made from NitroMethane!
>Just think "SUNDAY-SUNDAY-SUNDAY! At the Amphetamine Speedway it's 
>"Nitro" burning funny cars!
>   The Nitro they're refering to is NitroMethane. If your using the
Pink 
>stuff in the little 1 or 2 litre plastic jugs it's also mixed with a 
>little light oil (there's a percentage on the bottle)
>
>Just letting you know, I have enough craters in the floor of my lab
from 
>learning things the hard way.
>
>Christopher A. Boden Esq.              !!!
>President/C.E.O.                      !!!!! 
>GeNext! Technology Group Inc!         !!!!!
>                                       !!!
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>                                      GeNext!
>                  Because the Geek Shall Inherit The Earth!



 I think you didn't get me right... Terry did, but not you… I though I
had made it clear on my last message that I wanted to use the OIL, and
as a corona suppression, not spark quenching...


 Model cars, boats, helicopters and aeroplanes all use small 2-stroke
engines. Those engines range from the smallest .5cc found in
mini-aeroplanes and hovercrafts to the massive 50cc+ multi-cylinder
found in large radio-controlled planes.
 Some models use 4-troke engines too, but never mind that for now.
 The fuel used for the 2-stroke engines is a mixture of 80% methanol
and 20% oil. That oil is normally castor oil but nowadays it's being
gradually substituted for the cheaper synthetic oil (although engine
manufacturer's don't recommend this very much). Some high-performance
engines allow between 1 and 25% nitromethane to be added to the fuel,
replacing the methanol. The "nitro" part of nitromethane is a nitrate,
containing oxygen. When it is heated in the engine's combustion
chamber it will break down and release oxygen, causing hotter, more
powerful combustion. Adding 25% nitro to the fuel will double engine
power (and half engine life:-). I know this from experience because I
once did a full research on fuel power…
 Ok. Now, before I get any more carried away... I was NOT considering
using model fuel as an insulator. It works OK but it is far too
volatile and flammable. It is the OIL in the fuel that I want to use.
Model plane engines use that oil as a lubricant only and you can see
it exit the engine's exhaust unburned, as it will only start
vaporising at 400C. It does NOT burn. A blowtorch is not enough to set
it on fire. If you keep a blowtorch flame on it it will heat up for
several seconds before it starts boiling and only when it is boiling
vigorously will it burn. It will stop burning as soon as the heat is
removed.
 I tried immersing 2 High-voltage wires from my double ignition coil
device in the oil. Normally they'll arc 10cm in air. Under oil I had
to get them 5mm close before a spark jumped. When they arc under oil
nothing happens to the oil, it just bubbles...
 One interesting thing to do with liquid insulators is approach a
high-voltage wire to it... You'll see the liquid move away from the
wire:-)
 I too have craters on my garage floor and table. And I have the scars
on my hand to remind me of what messing around with chemicals can do.
I wouldn't have suggested this oil if I didn't at least THINK it would
work safely. In fact, I'll go as far as saying it WILL work. I just
wanted to know how well it would compare to other oils as an
insulator...
 Oh, and BTW, most model engine fuels are faint yellow... Nitromethane
and fuel oil are both yellow... The pink comes from anti-rust
additives...



Hurting and learning,
  Sam Barros.
==
 Sam Barros,
sambarros-at-yahoo-dot-com
ICQ#:15156975

 "The Less You Know, The Better You Sleep"...
 "Evolution Stops When Stupidity Is No Longer Fatal"
 "If At First You Don't Suceed, Increase The Amperage"
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