"chuck" wrote in message
nk.net...
Hey JimB,

Thanks for the info!

I'm embarrassed to reveal my ignorance here, but why is the
ratio of CO2 to H2O relevant, rather than just the H2O? I've
encountered other combustion analyses that also focused on that
ratio.

For a given heat, you're breaking down a fuel (takes some energy)
then oxidising its components (gives energy back). One element of
this thread was breaking into the criticism of alcohol fuels 'that
produced more condensation'.

For a given heat, alcohol fuels do produce much more water than
carbon rich fuels. The easiest way to see this is by looking at
the ratio of combustion products, and that's easy to envisage if
you look at the reaction equations.

At the top end you could consider a charcoal heater - all carbon
dioxide, no water. We'll dodge the issue that pure carbon burning
easily creates carbon monoxide if it is not extrememely well
ventilated. Which is always the case with all carbon rich fuels if
they're not adequately ventilated. Something that hasn't been
touched in this thread so far . . .

JimB