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GalFisk t1_jea53kd wrote

Reply to comment by NameUnavail in ELI5: if a flame needs oxygen to burn then why it doesn't our atmosphere explode from a single flame? by [deleted]

Which is also the reason why atmospheres of almost pure fuel, such as methane, don't combust - there's no oxygen there. Without oxygen, all our energetic fuels, such as gas, oil, wood and coal, would be completely useless.

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Red__M_M t1_jean4l4 wrote

I learned this playing with potato guns. There is an optimal fuel level beyond which the power quickly declines to zero.

The solution, of course, was to saturate the chamber with fuel and close it. Then I injected oxygen. Worked like a charm.

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GalFisk t1_jeao113 wrote

Pure oxygen? I never did play around with that, but I did make an arduino-powered fuel meter which would inject precisely the right amount of propane. That was a big improvement from "spray and pray", even though I did get quite good at it with butane.

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Red__M_M t1_jeaun5e wrote

I modified a pen torch to work with a valve stem and mounted one of those to the chamber. Of course, I only used the oxygen cylinder of the torch.

I like your solution. Can you post a picture?

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