Candles are not as commonly used today as they once were. In our life, with their help, people create a romantic atmosphere, scent the air, or simply use it as an element of decor.
But, many experts argue that aroma candles are very harmful to humans and should not be used very often. They release into the air a large number of toxins, so people can have health problems.
What to do? To choose paraffin or wax candles, how are they different?
Paraffin candles - harm and benefit
Paraffin candles when burning, toxic compounds are emitted into the air - toluene and benzene. Benzene is used in industry. Many different products are produced on its basis: rubber, plastics, synthetic rubber, paints, explosives, dyes for fabrics and some medical preparations.
Benzene enters the human body through the respiratory tract. So people suffer from weakness, sleep disturbances and dizziness. Also, if a person has been breathing this for several years harmful substance, then his liver and kidneys may not work well, blood and bone marrow diseases develop, circulatory and nervous systems... In addition, acute poisoning is possible.
Toluene - aromatic compound, from which benzene is obtained. Toluene, like benzene, enters the human body through the respiratory system, sometimes through the skin. In most cases, it affects the nervous and circulatory system.
It should be understood that paraffin candles are quite harmful to the human body, so they need to be used several times a month. There is no need to get too carried away with these candles.
If you want to create a pleasant smell in the apartment or just lie in a bath with candles, then do not delay this business. A few minutes will be enough so you can protect yourself.
Wax candles - harm and benefit
Wax candles completely made of natural substances, they will not harm your health, even when burned great amount... In old times church candles consisted of beeswax, they burned evenly and did not emit harmful substances into the air.
Now, scented candles made of wax with propolis are gradually replacing. These candles are not harmful to the body, but on the contrary are useful.
Such candles are often used for creating a romantic environment, to relieve stress, or during an epidemic. The price for them will be more expensive than for paraffin candles.
Today soy wax is gaining popularity - it is 100% safe, cheaper than beeswax, does not contain chemical substances... Soy wax candles are easy to recycle or tint.
What is the difference between a wax candle and a paraffin one, how to distinguish them?
A person can already visually distinguish these types of candles. Wax products are made of yellow, while paraffin products are white or translucent.
- If the paraffin is cut, it will crumble, and the wax is cut smoothly and easily.
- Wax candles do not leave black deposits.
- If you bend the candle, then the paraffin wax will disintegrate, and the wax one will only change its shape.
- When burning a wax candle, the aroma can be honey, and paraffin candles give off a harsh odor.
Wax candles - video
My publication is addressed primarily to fellow Petersburgers. Not far away New Year, and I always awaited the attack with horror new year holidays... Either the neighbors' battery will burst, then the electricity will be cut off, or some security officer will be slipped to us. Once, I don't remember, like in 2007, the electricity was cut off in our Moscow region for several hours, and at my friend from Kupchino - for several days. At the same time, they did not have heating either. An accident at the substation, Matvienko said. So it's time for you, dear Petersburgers to stock up on simple alternative energy, you never know ... The power of this heater is enough to heat a room with an area of 12 square meters... The principle of operation of a candle heater is simple and clear from this figure:
To implement this project, you need to walk to the nearest flower shop and buy three flower pots different sizes so that they fit into each other freely, with a gap. Clearances are needed for free air circulation. Also, in a flower shop you can buy a ceramic flower stand, square.
In addition, you need to look in the closet or on the balcony for unnecessary bolts and nuts and, of course, buy candles.
Assembling the entire unit is a simple matter:
A square ceramic flower stand (you can use a baking dish or an old frying pan) is needed for the candles so that the wax or paraffin does not spread all over the table or floor. 4 candles are placed in it, lit, and your device is installed on top. As in the picture:
How many candles should you buy? Taking into account that the candle burns for 4 hours, it is necessary to buy eight candles for the 8-hour operation of the heater. I hope that during this time emergency workers will come and eliminate the accident in your house.
I wish you success!
For a long time, people looked at fire and felt safe. Many centuries have passed, but even now, when looking at the hearth, the same feeling arises. But today we are not sitting by fires, wax candles are substituted for them. They give any room an atmosphere of intimacy, and the smooth fluctuation of the flame fascinates people, just like hundreds of thousands of years ago.
These days when there are many different materials, you can craft wax houses, creating your own masterpieces. They may be different forms, sizes and colors.
Materials needed to create paraffin candles
You will need:
- cotton threads;
- wax crayons;
- ordinary candles.
These materials are inexpensive and readily available.
Auxiliary materials for the production of candles
You will also need:
- old saucepan;
- container where wax will melt;
- two plastic or wooden sticks to stir the wax and fasten the wick;
- molds for making candles, it can be children's toys or plastic cups;
- decorative ornaments for future creations.
In this case, you can select materials at your discretion.
Nuances in choosing a wick
Any candles: church, wax, gel, paraffin - have a wick. It needs to be made from 100% cotton. It can be a ribbon of fabric or string. The main thing is that there are no synthetics in the composition. Multicolored wicks made of floss threads look especially good on transparent candles.
For each candle, the wick is selected individually. Its stiffness and thickness depend on the part of the candle that will have to burn out. Also from her material. For wax candles, thick wicks should be made, the threads of which are not very tightly woven. For paraffin wax or gel, on the contrary, you need to tightly intertwine thin threads. Such a wick will not smoke when burning. It must be remembered that if used for dyeing, the shavings may not dissolve in the candle material and clog the wick.
In short, there are many nuances here that can only be understood in practice. If the wick is thick, the wax candles will smoke and burn out too quickly. And very thin ones will often go out. In general, you need to try and experiment.
The wick can be twisted (like a string), braided or crocheted. Immediately before pouring, it is better to saturate the threads with wax, but many believe that this is useless and simply fill them with wax, paraffin or gel.
The principle of creating a candle
To make DIY wax candles, you need to find a suitable shape. You can use any plastic cups, children's toys, that is, anything where you can pour paraffin. However, this container must be able to withstand a temperature of 100 °. For the first time, it's better to take simple form to understand how a candle is made.
A knot is tied at the end of the cotton string. After that, a hole is made at the bottom of the mold in the center. This cotton wick is inserted into it so that its knot is outside. He will subsequently be the top of the candle, and also will not allow wax or paraffin to flow out of the mold when it is created. Next, you need to fix the second end of the wick, which will be at the bottom finished product... It should be in the middle of the form. To do this, take any stick, you can take a toothpick or a match. It is placed across the mold, and the other end of the wick is tied to its center. You need it to be centered and vnatyag. After everything is fixed, you can start creating a candle.
We need material to fill out the form. Therefore, they take church candles, wax, paraffin, in general, everything that is available. It is better to chop them finely to make shavings. It folds into tin can and is installed in a water bath. That is, a pot of water is taken, put on the fire, and after it boils, a container with material for a candle is immersed in it. It becomes liquid under the influence of temperature, and then you can pour it into a candle mold. In the process, you can use any container, the main thing is not glass.
Candle painting materials
In order for the product to be the desired color, for example, you want to get wax green candles, red, blue, or even multi-colored, then you need to add a dye to the composition. The most widely used material for this is children's wax crayons. In general, you can use any fat-soluble dye. If you take gouache or watercolor, then they will not work, because they will not be able to dissolve in the material, and will simply float in pieces, and subsequently settle at the bottom.
Some masters use lipstick and eye shadow to color their masterpieces. However, when the candle burns, the lipstick gives off an odor. If it is pleasant, then it is great option not only in terms of color, but also aromatic effect.
There are also special candle dyes sold in a variety of colors and shades. Using them, you can make both snow-white and black candles (wax or paraffin). By adding them in different proportions, you will achieve both delicate pastel tones and bright saturated colors.
Pouring material into a mold
If everything is ready, we proceed to the main stage. The shape is lubricated from the inside vegetable oil or a liquid used when washing dishes. This is to make it easier to remove the frozen candle. First, a little material is poured into the bottom to close the hole with the wick. After all, if you immediately fill the entire space, then wax or paraffin will flow out strongly. And this is inconvenient, and it will take much longer.
After the bottom has solidified, pour the rest of the wax or paraffin until the entire container is filled. When it's done, wait for the wax to cool at room temperature. This will cool the wax candles gradually and evenly. If you try to speed up the process and immerse the product in the freezer, then the surface of the candle may crack, which will ruin its appearance.
Removing the candle from the mold
It is necessary to untie the knot on the wick, where the top of the product will be, then pull it on the other side. The candle should come off. If the product cannot be removed, there are two solutions: the first is to cut the mold, the second is to put everything in the freezer for two minutes. After that, the candle is immediately poured hot water... Thanks to a sharp drop temperatures, it can be easily removed.
After that, the wick is shortened to the required size, and the seams that remain from the mold must be doused with hot water - then they will disappear. However, in this case, the product loses its original shine. Therefore, when you create wax candles, the molds should be selected without seams, so that later there will be no problems with their elimination.
Aroma candles
They are made in the same way as wax, but with the addition of essential oils. When burning, they will fill the room with a pleasant aroma. You can use any essential oil, just not pink. It emits a suffocating odor when burned. You need to add the necessary flavoring to the liquid wax, and then mix everything thoroughly. After everything is homogeneous, the wax is poured into the mold. Further steps are identical to the above.
DIY wax candles burn and look very beautiful. However, you can make such accessories completely transparent, as if it were water. They are made from gel, which is specially prepared for this.
Gel candles
To create such a lovely miracle, you can buy gel wax at the store. But if desired, it is easy to make it at home. For this you will need:
- water;
- tannin;
- glycerol;
- gelatin.
Take 5 parts of gelatin (necessarily colorless) and dissolve it in 20 parts of water. After that, you need to add 25 parts of glycerin and stir everything thoroughly, after which a transparent essence will begin to appear. To it add 2 parts of tannin, which are previously dissolved in 10 parts of glycerin. Immediately after connection, a dirty precipitate is formed, which disappears upon boiling. After creating a transparent mixture, it is poured into a mold, like ordinary wax candles, the manufacture of which we discussed above.
The appearance of such candles can be made even more spectacular by adding dyes to them. Thus, they can be given delicate tones of any color. And you can pour different colors into the uncured mixture to get bizarre abstractions.
When it comes to a candle, subconsciously, an analogy immediately arises with something negligible, insignificant, extremely weak and incapable of anything. This is due to the historically established tradition, to compare, for example, the brightness of light bulbs with the brightness of a candle, or to show the power of a telescope that “sees” a candle from Moscow in Vladivostok. The work of the Stirling engine, which not only spins briskly from the air heated by a candle, but also gives electricity, from which the lamp glows much brighter than the same candle, acts especially bewitching on the audience.
The author could not find information on the heat output of a conventional stearic or wax candle on the Internet. But one very old physics textbook says that heat transfer stearin candle is equal to 80 kcal / hour, and kerosene lamp with a flat wick - 60 kcal / hour. After conversion to conventional units, we get the power of the candle 93 Watt, and the kerosene lamp - 70 Watt. It was these figures that first caused bewilderment and then mistrust, and served as the reason for this study.
Theory
To heat any body of mass m, from the temperature T 0 to the temperature T 1 it is necessary to bring to it thermal energy Q. Moreover, the greater the mass, and the greater the temperature difference, the more heat energy will be needed for heating. Thus, one can write:
Q = cm (T 1 -T 0) (1)
where c is the specific heat, reflects the fact that some materials heat up easily, and some require very large amounts of thermal energy.
On the other hand, we know that the final temperature depends on the heating time, and the longer it is heated, the higher the probability of getting more high fever... This is due to the rate of supply (absorption) of heat or to the power, which is defined as follows: P n = Q / t, where t is the heating time. Therefore, we obtain the important equation
P n t = cm (T 1 -T 0) or P n = cm (T 1 -T 0) / t (2)
in which all quantities can be measured and calculated. It should be noted that the equation (2) characterizes the power absorbed only by the heated body, i.e. heating power. If this equation is rewritten as follows
T 1 = (P n / cm) t + T 0, (3)
then we get a recommendation for action: it is necessary to measure the temperature of the heated body at regular intervals, build a graph of the temperature dependence on the heating time and calculate the power P from the slope of the obtained straight line, and through it Q, if necessary.
But really linear relationship T (t) is not always observed. The thing is that as the temperature rises, the body itself begins to heat the air and surrounding objects. Those. with an increase in body temperature, heat loss also increases, and finally a moment comes when the rate of heat supply is equal to the rate of loss, and the body temperature does not rise any more. Therefore, in the general case, the dependence T (t) will not be linear and the equation (3) will be valid only for small changes in T 1 and t.
The power loss is also proportional to the temperature difference and is described by an equation similar to the equation (2) with the only difference that a minus sign appears. Therefore, we can write:
P p = cm (T 1 -T 0) / t (4)
T 1 = - (P p / cm) t + T 0 (5)
From this it follows that by observing the cooling process, which will also not be linear, we will receive information about the power of thermal energy losses at the corresponding body temperature. The equation (5) , as well as the equation (3) , will be true only for small changes in T 1 and t.
Thus, the heat power that we take from the candle flame is equal to the sum of the power absorbed by the heated body and the power that it dissipated into the surrounding space, i.e. P sum = P n + P p. But we have not yet taken into account that part of the heat output of the candle, which did not participate at all in heating the body. Therefore, we can talk about the coefficient of efficiency (efficiency) of the process of heating by the flame of a candle, and define it as follows:
Efficiency = (P n + P p) / P total (6)
It should be noted that the efficiency of the candle depends significantly on many parameters of the heating process, even on such as the presence of drafts or soot from the flame on the surface of the heated body. But most importantly, we do not know for certain what the candle is made of. And, as a result, we cannot determine the calorific value of both the main combustible materials that make up the candle, and those additives that can radically affect the combustion process. Therefore, of practical interest is P sums, i.e. the heat output that can be taken from the candle flame. But this power depends both on the modes and methods of heat supply to the heated body, and on the materials and design of the candle itself. Therefore, this parameter can also vary widely and requires careful analysis in each specific case.
An approximate estimate of the efficiency of the flame heating process can be based on experiments with heating on a gas burner. In this case, the calorific value of the gas is known and the volume of the burnt gas is known. So, for example, with a burner power of 2840 W the efficiency of the heating process of a 2-liter kettle is 33%, and with a burner power of 720 W it is 58%. Considering the fact that the candle flame washes the heated body under the influence of natural convection (and the gas from the burner comes out under pressure and, naturally, at a higher speed), we can count on the candle efficiency of more than 58%.
Experiment
In the period from April 21 to May 6, 2011, 3 experiments were carried out in different temperature conditions, with different types candles and with different thermal insulation of the heated body.
Experiment # 1. The air temperature is 16 degrees at the beginning and 17 at the end of the experiment. A 56-gram glass beaker containing 100 milliliters of water was used as a test body.
The water temperature was measured mercury thermometer with a scale from 0 to 110 degrees Celsius every minute. Temperature measurement accuracy ± 0.2 degrees. No thermal insulation was applied. Candle - Chinese scented (strawberry smell) in an aluminum cup. The kinetics of heating and cooling is shown by curve 1 in Fig. 1. As follows from the graph, the relative linearity of the T (t) dependence is observed only at the very beginning of the heating process, and with increasing temperature, an increasing deviation from linearity occurs. This is a manifestation of increasing losses of thermal power.
Figure 2 shows the results of the calculation by the formulas (2) and (4) absorbed heat power and dissipated into the surrounding space. At a temperature of 30 degrees, water takes 30 watts of thermal power from a candle flame, at a temperature of 60 degrees - 20 watts, and only 10 watts goes to heat, and the remaining 10 watts dissipate. The “parade of points” in the range of 56 - 66 degrees is due to the formation of bubbles air on the mercury bulb of the thermometer. Therefore, in the following experiments, we did not use tap water, and pre-boiled and cooled to room temperature
Experiment # 2. The initial air temperature in the room is 27 degrees and 26 is the final one. A 32-gram tin cup containing 100 milliliters of water was used as a test body. The top and side of the cup was insulated with a 5 mm thick foil polyurethane foam mat, which is usually used for thermal insulation of floors. The candle is also Chinese only with the scent of jasmine. Visually, the flame of this candle was larger and brighter than in the previous experiment. The kinetics of heating and cooling is shown by curve 2 in Fig. 1. As follows from the graphs, after 40 minutes of heating, the water boiled successfully, and the cooling process to 35 degrees lasted for 80 minutes.
Fig. 3 shows the results of calculations, from which it follows that in this case, a power of more than 40 watts can be obtained from a candle flame. Since thermal insulation did not demonstrate unconditional advantages, the next experiment was carried out according to the methodology of the first experiment.
Experiment # 3. The air temperature in the room did not change throughout the experiment and was 22 degrees Celsius. A souvenir candle (New Year's) still of Soviet production was used. The kinetics of heating and cooling is shown by curve 3 in Fig. 1. The peculiarity of this candle was that during the combustion process, the molten paraffin flowed out of the combustion zone. There were three such cycles. After each flow cycle, the height of the wick increased, and, naturally, the height of the flame also increased. Thus, during the heating process, the candle flared up. This is clearly seen in Fig. 4 by the minima at 5, 9 and 16 minutes of the experiment.
The maximum power that could be obtained from this candle was 50 watts. To assess the efficiency of the flame heating process, experiments were continued with heating a 2-liter kettle on a gas burner. Figure 5 shows the dependence of the heating efficiency on the gas flow rate. The burner capacity and the boiling time of 2 liters of water are shown next to the corresponding points. A monotonous drop in efficiency with an increase in the gas flow rate indicates that the heated air, passing at a higher speed, does not have time to give off heat to the kettle.
It is interesting to compare the results of experiment No. 3 with the results of Fig. 5. The amount of heated water is 20 times less (2l / 100ml = 20), and the boiling time is exactly the same, 22 minutes. AND average speed heating is also almost the same: 4.1 deg / min for gas burner and 3.95 deg / min for a candle. This means that we can assume that the power of a candle is 20 times less than the power of a gas burner, i.e. 1180/20 = 59W. Thus, the efficiency of heating by a candle flame is quite high (from 40/59 = 68% to 50/59 = 85%)
The results of experiment No. 2 are also in good agreement, although the boiling times are somewhat different. And the heating rate of the candle is even higher than that of the burner, 3.82 deg / min versus 3.26 deg / min (up to 80 degrees). We can assume that the power of the candle is slightly less than 720/20 = 36W. If we take the average between 40 watts at the beginning of heating, and 20 at the end (Fig. 3), then it is so. And the efficiency of 83% (30/36 = 83%) is quite justified, since the glass was thermally insulated.
The experiments carried out unexpectedly gave an answer to another important question: "What is the heat output of a cup of tea, from which the Stirling engine also works?" The answer is simple, if a cup with a capacity of 100 ml., Then its capacity is naturally equal to the power of losses, i.e. approximately 15 watts (in the range of 70 - 90 degrees). If 200 ml., Then 2 times more, that is, approximately 30W. In a two-liter kettle, the power losses are naturally 10 times greater, and, as the experiment shows, is 250 - 300 watts.
It only remains to measure heat output palms to evaluate the energy characteristics of this type of sterling.
conclusions
Thus, the heat transfer of a 93 watt candle is not a fiction or a mistake, but an objective thing that must be reckoned with and used to its full "power". It is necessary to rethink our attitude to the candle and to the engines that work from it. If earlier these engines were treated like toys, like technical fun, like training before creating something more serious, then after realizing the true power of a candle, it is clear that there is nothing more serious than engines powered by a candle.
So a candle. This is the most necessary item in the backpack of tourists, travelers, hunters, fishermen, climbers, in a word, people who temporarily leave the space covered by civilization and remain alone with nature. But at the same time, the achievements of civilization do not let them go, such items as a telephone, a flashlight, a camera, a video camera, a GPS navigator, a laptop, and you never know what else are in the backpack. And all these conquests of civilization need electricity, the supply of which is rapidly melting during the first 2-3 days.
With a 10% efficient Stirling Generator powered by a 50-watt candle, we get 5 watts of electricity. This is enough to recharge everyone electronic devices traveler. And if you also have a 200-watt candle, then you can safely and for a long time leave the embrace of civilization.
Thus, maximum efforts should be directed not at increasing the power of low-temperature styling, but at increasing their efficiency, at least up to 5%. Then these devices from the category of toys immediately go into the category of the most necessary things and not only in a backpack. And the second thing to think about is to increase the power of the candle to 150-200 watts. It would also be nice to control its power during combustion.
Kharkiv, April - May 2011
California inventor Doyle Doss proposed original system- "candle heater".
This strange-looking candlestick, its creator claims, can be indispensable during a power outage. Its height is about 23 cm, and its width is about 18 cm.
And from it appearance Attention is drawn to the inverted pot above the candle. In this pot (and he is in " past life”The flower pot was) and the main highlight of the system is hidden.
If you need to heat a chilled room in a private house or warm a person working at the table, an article by the American Doyle Doss, who proposed the world an invention called the "Heat Trap", will come to the rescue.
Outwardly, it looks like an inverted flower pot over the candle. However, this pot is not simple, but composite, made of three pots of different diameters, nested inside each other and put on a long metal bolt through holes for water.
Several washers and nuts are threaded onto the bolt itself. The height of such a "candlestick" is from 23 centimeters, and the width is from 18 cm.
The principle of operation is to "trap" the heat from the candle.
The fact is that a burning candle gives a little light, and leaves with a hot stream of combustion products most of her energy.
The labyrinth-hood created by Doss over the flame accumulates heat.
The central rod heats up, heats up the ceramics, and then the heat is slowly transferred to the air by the entire surface of this kind of ceramic radiator.
By the way, instead of a candle, you can also use an ordinary incandescent lamp as a heater - in this case, instead of a candle, a cartridge with a lamp is installed and connected to the network.
The inventor emphasizes that one such device will in no way save you in the winter when the heating and electricity are cut off, but, on the other hand, it is better than nothing at all.
In addition, although this simple design is designed primarily for emergencies (and not only at home, but also outside), a mini candlestick radiator can slightly reduce the cost of heating a room by adding a little warmth to a room occupied by people, while the whole the house is "regulated" by thermostats for more low temperature... Here, however, you still need to calculate the cost of one joule in the candle.
The heater also has a top-mounted stand that can hold a pot of soup.
Before a fresh "candle heater" can normally heat the room, you need to wait for the residual moisture to evaporate from the ceramic. It can take 3-4 hours, Mr. Doss notes.
But then the owner of this gizmo can fully enjoy the soft heat given off by the heater for a long time. It is necessary to store the unused device in plastic bag so that it does not absorb moisture from the air.
Doss writes that wax candle weighing 4.25 ounces contains approximately 1 thousand British thermal units of energy. Translated into the usual values, this is approximately 120 grams and 1.1 megajoules.
If we take into account that such a candle burns for 20 hours or a little more, then it turns out that its energy production is 55 kilojoules per hour, which corresponds to a power of 15.3 watts.
True, according to some sources, the total "useful yield" of a wax candle of this size will still be higher. Closer to 3 megajoules. Which will give an average power of about 42 watts. And if we carefully "look" at a paraffin candle, then, perhaps, we will find even more potential warmth in it.
However, the exact calorific values are not that important. It is clear that such a candlestick cannot compete in power with household electric convectors and oil radiators of 0.5-2 kilowatts. As long as there is current in the outlet.
On the other hand, even with a kilowatt heater, you will hardly be burning all day long if you do not want to go broke on your electricity bills. And the "candle heater", as already mentioned, works on one candle for more than 20 hours. The only important condition: it must not be left unattended. Still an open flame.
The American innovator believes that such heaters should appeal not only to people sitting at home, but also to those who rarely show up there, preferring to travel far from the hustle and bustle of civilization. This heater should become a simple and cheap alternative to stoves and other kerosene stoves. And someday he can save the life of a person who has fallen into, say, a car in a snow trap, in a blizzard.