[Stoves] Thickness of flame front

[AJH]

On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 10:10:47 -0800, frank wrote:

>Greetings Andrew,
>Like the Microsoft game that comes with new computers called 
>Minesweeper  ( 
>http://www.mobygames.com/game/win3x/minesweeper/screenshots ) or better 
>for us the 3D version  ( http://www.softsession.com/ ) we need a program 
>to tell us how well a fuel will burn.

I'm certain that such a tool exists, please remember my last chemistry
lessons were over 40 years ago, so you'll have to forgive me for not
being up to date.


> Frans (of the famous Frans & 
>Martin team) mentioned it takes as much energy to put a bond together as 
>it does to take it apart. 

Yes, this is fundamental, energy is conserved in a chemical process.

>So if you have a carbon with four bonds it 
>must have the energy of four bonds breaking around it for it to combust. 

This depends what it is currently bonded to, what is the carbon
bonding in an amorphous carbon such as the char we discuss?

Some carbon-carbon bonds are so strong the carbon won't burn, diamond
decomposes to graphite at 1200C but it doesn't burn.

<snip>

>  Do you think you could make such a 
>program? Anything to add? :)

I cannot even visualise a rubics cube arrangement when it's in my hand
so I'm sure I couldn't do this. You may be on to something, a visual
method of describing combustion, but it's out of my depth I'm afraid.

AJH