Hiking is not only lanes, beautiful landscapes and adventures. To enjoy it fully , tourist needs to have a good rest and eat nutritiously. Life and cuisine are important parts of a trip to nature, regardless of whether you have dinner outside the city or on top of the mountain.

But cooking can be a real challenge if you don’t think these things through ahead of time.  Most often, the hearth is used as a source of heat for cooking, and more and more vacationers are switching to gas burners.  In addition, experienced tourists have several tablets of dry alcohol in reserve for emergency situations.  And it is dry fuel that will be discussed in our article today - who can use it, why and in what situations it is necessary to buy dry alcohol.

 Definition of dry alcohol and a little history of its creation

 At the end of the 19th century, scientists learned how to synthesize formaldehyde and studied their properties in detail.  One of these scientists was Aleksander Butlerov (1828-1886), who studied the properties of formaldehyde during its interactions with other substances.  Among other experiments, he combined formaldehyde and an aqueous solution of ammonia.  When they were mixed, translucent colorless crystals were formed, the formula of which was (СH2)6N4.  The resulting substance was named hexamethylenetetramine.  Later it was called urotropin.

In addition to the main properties used in medicine and veterinary medicine, urotropin burned stably, gave high efficiency indicators, did not smoke, and did not leave ash after burning.

  Solid fuel today is nothing more than urotropin with the addition of paraffin.  The latter is used to give and maintain the shape of the crystals.  Its small proportion in the composition of dry fuel (up to 3%) makes it possible to form tablets and briquettes for convenient transportation and storage.  Also, due to the presence of paraffin, ready-made tablets of dry alcohol keep their shape during burning and do not fall apart.  As a result, we get a stable fire with excellent heat transfer rates.

 Interesting:

 None of the types of alcohol are part of dry fuel.  The only common thing between dry alcohol and other types of alcohol is that they give an equally stable fire without smoke and other traces of burning.

 Characteristics of dry fuel

Dry alcohol gained popularity among survivalists and tourists due to its properties.  Its main advantages are:

  • Compactness and lightweight - small tablets, less often briquettes take up a minimum of space in a backpack.

  • High efficiency – the heat from the fire is enough to boil 0.5 liters of water in less than 8 minutes.  To prepare porridge, you will need from four to six tablets of dry fuel.

  • Accessibility.  You can buy dry fuel in agricultural and tourist stores.  It is also included in the mandatory supply for the military.

  • Burning time.  On average, one tablet will burn from 7 to 15 minutes, during which time you can boil water for tea, heat ready-made food.  The burning time depends on the percentage of fuel in the composition, air humidity, and storage conditions.

  • Versatility of use.  Dry alcohol is used not only by tourists, it is taken in the country, for fishing, hunting.  This is a mandatory item in an emergency suitcase, in case of an emergency.

  • Steady fire.  If all the rules were followed during storage, then alcohol gives an even, stable fire without sparks when burning.

  • Burns without smoke, soot and ash.  This is especially important when dry alcohol is used by the military, scouts, and other special forces.  Thus, using fuel, you can get the desired boiling water for cooking food and tea without exposing your positions.  Also, the absence of smoke allows it to be used indoors.

Among the shortcomings, we can highlight:

  • Burning time.  One tablet burns for up to 15 minutes, this is not enough to prepare a full-fledged meal, that is, it is not rational to cook complex meals in the field using dry fuel.  For this, it is better to use gas burners or integrated cooking systems.  But if the task is to simply boil water, then one tablet will be quite enough.

  • Storage features.  Urotropin crystals are hygroscopic, they absorb moisture.  Even the presence of paraffin in the composition does not protect against this.  Therefore, it is necessary to store dry fuel tablets in an airtight bag, away from moisture.  Otherwise, the fuel will burn and "spit" sparks, the fire will be unstable.

  • Inability to adjust firepower.  To prepare complex dishes, you need to adjust the heat from high to low.  This is impossible when using dry fuel.  The tablet is either on fire or you can put it out.  At the same time, it heats up a small area of ​​dishes, that is, there is a possibility of food burning.

Important: If you find yourself in harsh conditions, where there are no proper conditions for cooking, no burner or firewood, you can use life hacks from experienced tourists.  Using several tablets at the same time, you can evenly heat the bottom of the dishes.  And you can control the heat by adjusting the height from the fire to the bottom of the cauldron.  Also, sometimes a burning tablet is placed on the rib in order to reduce the intensity of the heat.  In the absence of access to gas/firewood, tablets of dry alcohol can partially replace them.

 · Wind protection.  Dry fuel burns perfectly under any conditions: it can be used during light rain, in the cold, at altitude, it is "not afraid" of the wind.  But for stable work in the open area, it is better to use wind protection. This way, you will minimize heat loss and extend the working time of the fuel.

 Features of using dry alcohol

Manufacturers indicate instructions for use on the packaging.  But all the rules can be reduced to a few points:

 · Remove from packaging;

 · Place on a metal plate.  Most often, it is included in the kit, for example, in the military.  If there is no plate, then the fuel can be placed on stones.  It is important to remember that the surface under the tablet will heat up during the burning process, so be careful;

 · Light using matches/lighter/fire;

 · That's it - you have a steady fire for the next 8-12 minutes.

 After kindling, you can put small chips on top to make a full fire or use a special burner for dry alcohol.  It makes it possible to boil/cook/reheat food in harsh conditions.  It has a compact design, so it will not take up much space.  But even if there is no such burner nearby, you can use a couple of stones on which cookware is placed.

 This fuel is great for one or two people.  If you need to organize a kitchen for a larger number of people, it is better to take a gas or multi-fuel burner.

 Where is dry alcohol used?

 Dry alcohol is one of the types of fuel.  It is used both at home and in the field.  Anytime you don't have a gas or wood burner at hand, you can use dry alcohol tablets to boil water and make simple meals like porridge or sublimate.

Tourists and climbers love dry alcohol for its compactness and efficiency.  It gives fire in any weather, even in the rain you can start a fire with its help.  To do this, you need to set the tablet on fire, and while it is burning, put small chips on it.  Larger logs can be dried on such fire to keep the hearth burning.

 Fishermen and hunters choose dry fuel because there is no need to bother with collecting firewood.  One tablet is enough to make tea.

 In everyday life, dry alcohol is used by countryside residents, owners of fireplaces, open ovens, and barbecues.  This speeds up the ignition of the furnace and facilitates the process itself.

 The military also uses dry fuel.  Thanks to the absence of smoke and soot, it is possible to boil water imperceptibly.  Also, after burning, options based on urotropin do not leave traces on the surface, no ash or ash remains after the fire.

 Dry alcohol must be included in the emergency suitcase and survival backpack.  Together with a rescue blanket, matches and a knife, fuel makes it possible to create comfortable conditions for survival.

 

 Types of dry fuel

In addition to dry alcohol based on urotropin and paraffin, there are other types of it.

 Metaldehyde (С8Н16О4) –is a water-insoluble substance that is used in the same way as dry alcohol based on urotropin.  When burning, it gives a stable flame and a temperature of about 900 degrees.  During combustion, carbon dioxide and water vapor are released, it does not leave soot or ash behind.  It is sold in the form of pressed tablets, sticks, and rarely small briquettes.

 Calcium acetate solvate is obtained by combining ethyl alcohol and a concentrated solution of calcium acetate.  The resulting mixture instantly hardens.  The resulting substance is translucent, similar to soap.  It is well cut into pieces of various shapes.  During combustion, a large amount of energy is released.  During the burning of calcium acetate solvate, calcium carbonate, i.e. ash, and acetone are released.  And this means that the combustion vapors of such dry tablets cannot be inhaled.

 Safety equipment

 You don't need special skills to light dry alcohol, but you should remember some safety rules:

 · Dry fuel should be lit on a special stand or on a stone.  Otherwise, you need to prepare a place.  It is important that there are no flammable objects nearby.

 · Matches/lighter/fire are used to set fire.  In the latter case, you will need the skills to use it.

 · During the burning of some types of fuel, substances harmful to the body are released.  Do not inhale fumes from a burning pill.  If there is a possibility of using it in a room with poor ventilation (basement during an emergency), choose options based on urotropin.  When it burns, no harmful substances are released.

 · Keep out of the reach of children and animals.  In case of ingestion, consult a doctor immediately.  Dry fuel does not dissolve well in water, it can stick to the walls of the esophagus.

 · Store in a dry place.

 · Dry alcohol has no expiration date.  Even after long-term storage, it gives a stable fire.

 Dry alcohol is one of the alternatives to gas burners and open flames.  It is used during outdoor adventures, hunting,fishing. The military appreciates the ability of dry fuel to burn without smoke and soot.  In addition, most types practically do not leave traces of burning, such as soot and ash.

 · Due to their compact size, light weight and reliability, dry fuel tablets are an indispensable element of equipment for an emergency suitcase, hiking backpack, survival kit.

 · For greater comfort, you can buy a burner that works with dry tablets.

 · SMG group company is the official supplier of dry fuel tablets of the Ukrainian brand Base Camp.

 · You can buy dry alcohol in Ukraine in stores.