Dry alcohol is a solid, smoke-free fuel that is not directly related to alcohols. This substance is most often produced in the form of large tablets, the burning time of one tablet is approximately 12-15 minutes. Dry alcohol consists of two components: hexamethylenetetramine (also called urotropin) and a small amount of paraffin. This type of fuel appeared thanks to the efforts of Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov, a great Russian chemist who not only synthesized a number of organic compounds, but also created a theory of the structure of various chemicals. It was this scientist in 1859 who received a new substance through the interaction of formaldehyde with an aqueous solution of ammonia, which was later called urotropin.
An interesting fact is that in Russia, until June 1, 2010, urotropin was actively used in the food industry: it was used as a preservative for caviar and fish, and was registered as substance E239. Later, this preservative was recognized as dangerous for health, because urotropin, when interacting with acids, is converted to formaldehyde, which provokes the appearance and growth of cancerous tumors, that is, in fact, is a carcinogen. Therefore, at present, urotropin is mainly used for the production of useful products such as dry fuel.
Despite the fact that people in our time are surrounded by all the benefits of civilization, this fuel has found many uses for itself. Dry alcohol is used for cooking and heating food in camp conditions, which is especially important for areas where it is impossible to find natural fuel (mountains, rocky ground, steppes, etc.). This fuel is still equipped with individual rations of soldiers in almost all armies of the world. To make bonfires in wet weather, you can also use dry alcohol. The price of this fuel (which is especially nice) is low, a package of tablets can be purchased for 25 rubles. This is a very good option, since the most expensive dry fuel can cost about 150 rubles. It’s quite difficult to use dry alcohol for cooking (it takes a lot of time to cook a full meal), but it’s perfect for heating: for example, you can warm a can of canned food or boil a cup of tea. It is best to ignite dry fuel on a special metal stand.
The advantages of this type of fuel are quite obvious: the tablets are light and compact, do not take up much space, you can even take them on a hiking trip, unlike, say, gas or gas burners. Tablets are very easy to use, so they have a fairly wide scope. But dry alcohol has a number of negative qualities: the flame is very sensitive to wind, so a special screen may be needed. In addition, such fuel, when wet, begins to smoke, sparkle and give off an unpleasant specific smell. But these disadvantages are not so significant, especially compared to the advantages that dry fuel provides.