Pepsi can stove (pot stand omitted for clarity).

A beverage can stove is a homemade, ultra-light portable stove. The simple design is made entirely from cans (typically soft drink or beer cans) and burns alcohol (typically denatured). Countless variations on the basic design exist. Pepsi cans are often used because they have a bottom shape that lends itself to securing the stove's inner wall, and because of this the stoves are sometimes called Pepsi can stoves. The stove weighs 0.4 oz (10 g) and will boil two cups of water in five minutes with two tablespoons of fuel. Total weight, including a windscreen/stand can be less than one ounce (30 g). Due to the low weight compared to some commercial stoves, backpackers can reduce some pack weight with this stove. This advantage may be lost on long hiking trips however, because the stove is less efficient and requires more fuel, especially when cooking for more than one person. Image File history File links LinkFA-star. ... Pepsi can stove, lit Duk 20:53, 19 Oct 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Pepsi can stove, lit Duk 20:53, 19 Oct 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A small portable stove and its container MSR WindPro with skillet, heat reflector, wind shield and isobutane/propane canister A portable stove is a stove specially designed to be portable and lightweight, as for camping. ... The aluminum can (North American English spelling) or aluminium can (other English spelling) is a popular beverage container introduced by the Coors Brewing Company. ... A soft drink is a drink that contains no alcohol. ... A selection of bottled beers A selection of cask beers Beer is the worlds oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage. ... Denatured alcohol is ethanol with added adulterants that make it useless for consumption as an intoxicating beverage by rendering it toxic or extremely distasteful to drink, but still useful for industrial processes or as a household chemical. ... Pepsi-Cola, most commonly called Pepsi, is a soft drink produced by PepsiCo which is sold worldwide in stores, restaurants and vending machines. ... (Redirected from 1e-2 kg) Categories: Orders of magnitude (mass) ... This tablespoon has a capacity of about 1 tbsp. ... Fuel is a material with one type of energy which can be transformed into another usable energy. ... Backpacking in the Grand Teton National Park, United States Backpacking (also tramping or trekking in some countries) is the complete combination of hiking and camping. ...

History and design

The basic design dates back more than one hundred years². It consists of a double wall gas generator, a perforated burner ring, and an inner pre-heat chamber. A similar design was patented in 1904 by New York coppersmith J. Heinrichs³. Trangia has been selling a commercial version of the design since the 1950s, Safesport marketed a stainless steel stove in the 1990s. Interestingly the Trangia stove burner is made from brass, even though all the other associated parts that come with it are aluminum. A plastic bag is provided for the burner so that when packed away the two dissimilar metals do not develop corrosion. For the bird, see Coppersmith Barbet A coppersmith is a person who lays out, cuts, bends, and assembles pipe sections, pipefittings, and other parts from copper, brass, and other nonferrous metals. ... A small portable stove and its container MSR WindPro with skillet, heat reflector, wind shield and isobutane/propane canister A portable stove is a stove specially designed to be portable and lightweight, as for camping. ... Aluminum is a soft and lightweight metal with a dull silvery appearance, due to a thin layer of oxidation that forms quickly when it is exposed to air. ... Corrosion, atmospheric and biologic (Barnacles) Corrosion is deterioration of intrinsic properties in a material due to reactions with its environment. ...

The double wall acts as a gas generator, transferring heat from the flame to the fuel. This effect enhances combustion, producing more heat than other passive designs. The inner wall also creates a convenient preheat chamber for starting the stove. Once the fuel has warmed up, its vapor will travel up the hollow wall, pass through the perforations, and form a ring of flame. Vapor also rises from the center of the stove, but will pass through the ring of flame for efficient combustion, as long as a pot is over the stove.

Fuel is poured into the stove and ignited, burning in the center.

The flame heats the fuel and interior of the stove, causing the fuel to vaporize.

When hot enough, vapor pressure causes fuel jets and a ring of flame.

Pepsi can stove preheat 1 Illustrated with Sodipodi for Windows source:me Duk 19:33, 2 Nov 2004 (UTC) File links The following pages link to this file: Beverage can stove Categories: GFDL images ... Pepsi can stove preheat 1 Illustrated with Sodipodi for Windows source:me Duk 19:33, 2 Nov 2004 (UTC) File links The following pages link to this file: Beverage can stove Categories: GFDL images ... Pepsi can stove preheat 2 Illustrated with Sodipodi for Windows source: me Duk 19:33, 2 Nov 2004 (UTC) File links The following pages link to this file: Beverage can stove Categories: GFDL images ... Pepsi can stove preheat 2 Illustrated with Sodipodi for Windows source: me Duk 19:33, 2 Nov 2004 (UTC) File links The following pages link to this file: Beverage can stove Categories: GFDL images ... Pepsi can stove preheat 3 Illustrated with Sodipodi for Windows source: me Duk 19:34, 2 Nov 2004 (UTC) File links The following pages link to this file: Beverage can stove Categories: GFDL images ... Pepsi can stove preheat 3 Illustrated with Sodipodi for Windows source: me Duk 19:34, 2 Nov 2004 (UTC) File links The following pages link to this file: Beverage can stove Categories: GFDL images ... Vapor pressure is the pressure of a vapor in equilibrium with its non-vapor phases. ...

Aluminum can construction

Three piece Pepsi can stove, exploded view.

The stove is made from two aluminum can bottoms. An inner wall is cut and rolled from can material. A ring of holes is pierced into the top with a pin. Parts are glued with high temperature epoxy, or sealed with thermal foil tape. Total height is less than two inches (50 mm), though dimensions can be increased to hold more fuel or decreased to take up even less space. Pepsi can stove, exploded view source: me Duk 05:25, 20 Oct 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Pepsi can stove, exploded view source: me Duk 05:25, 20 Oct 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Aluminum is a soft and lightweight metal with a dull silvery appearance, due to a thin layer of oxidation that forms quickly when it is exposed to air. ... J-B Weld is a company that produces epoxy products. ... (Redirected from 1e-2 m) To help compare different orders of magnitude this page lists lengths between 10-2 m and 10-1 m (1 cm and 10 cm). ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ...

The choice of aluminum has several advantages; light weight, low cost, and good thermal conductivity to aid vaporization of fuel. Alternative construction materials have been used, including stoves made of tin cans such as cat food tins, tuna cans, and juice cans - the basic design is very similar [1][2]. In physics, thermal conductivity, k, is the intensive property of a material that indicates its ability to conduct heat. ...

Windscreens/stands can be fabricated from tin cans, cut to size and with ventilation holes added. Three tin cans of varying sizes; the one on front is opened with a pull tab. ...

Operation and performance

The stove is designed for one or two people. When used to cook larger meals (greater than 2 cups (0.5 l), it is less efficient than a more powerful stove that delivers more heat to a pot. This is because a longer cooking time is required, during which more heat is lost to the surroundings. A more powerful, pressurized version is shown below. // United States measures Note that the measurements in this section are in U.S. customary units. ... The litre or liter (see spelling differences) is a unit of volume. ...

Operation

To use the stove, a small amount of fuel is poured into the stove and ignited. The pot is then placed above the stove, on a windscreen or stand. The flame is small at first, only burning from the inner chamber. Once the fuel has warmed up, requiring about one minute, its vapor will pass through the perforations and form a ring of flame. Enough heat from the flame is passed to the fuel to maintain full combustion until fuel runs out. In physics, heat is defined as energy in transit. ... Combustion or burning is a chemical process, an exothermic reaction between a substance (the fuel) and a gas (the oxidizer), usually O2, to release heat. ...

The stove should not be re-lit unless it is fully cooled, otherwise flare-ups or explosive combustion (in the case of a pressurized design) may occur.

Ratings

• Heat output: ~4800 BTU/hour (1400 W)
• Time to boil 2 cups (500 ml): ~5 minutes (<2 tablespoons (30 ml) of fuel)
• Time to boil 4 cups (1 l): ~12 minutes (<3 tablespoons (45 ml) of fuel)
• Burn time: ~9 minutes with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of fuel
• Burn time (full): ~30 minutes with 5-6 tablespoons (75-90 ml) of fuel

The British thermal unit (BTU) is a non-metric unit of energy, used in the United States and, to a certain extent, the UK. The SI unit is the joule (J), which is used by most other countries. ... This page lists examples of the power in watts produced by various different sources of energy. ... The watt (symbol: W) is the SI derived unit of power. ...

Comparison to other stoves

The stove can outperform some commercial models in cold environments, where propane and butane canisters fail. Ronald Mueser, in Long-Distance Hiking, surveyed hikers on the Appalachian Trail and found that this stove was the only design with a zero percent failure rate⁴. Propane is a three-carbon alkane. ... R-phrases S-phrases , , Flash point −60 °C Autoignition temperature 287 °C Explosive limits 1. ... The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply The A.T., is a 2,174 mile (3500 km) marked hiking trail in the eastern United States, extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. ...

Fuel usage (by weight) is about fifty percent greater than a Peak I or MSR Pocket Rocket although these stoves use a butane/propane mixture for fuel and the can stove uses alcohol⁵. The can stove saves as much as one pound (0.45 kg) of weight over these liquid-fuel models for an overnight hike. The weight savings is lost for hikes greater longer hikes due to the additional fuel usage.

Other attributes of the beverage can stove are its nearly silent operation and suitability as an emergency backup. Denatured alcohol is a relatively environmentally friendly fuel that doesn't leave soot, though it is toxic to drink. (Pure ethanol is rarely used as stove fuel, since being drinkable, it is usually subject to liquor tax.) Denatured alcohol is commonly available at camping outfitters and hardware stores. These stoves operate well on 90% isopropyl alcohol, marginally on 70% and not at all with 50%. Denatured alcohol is ethanol with added adulterants that make it useless for consumption as an intoxicating beverage by rendering it toxic or extremely distasteful to drink, but still useful for industrial processes or as a household chemical. ... Soot, also called lampblack, Pigment Black 7, carbon black or black carbon, is a dark powdery deposit of unburned fuel residues, usually composed mainly of amorphous carbon, that accumulates in chimneys, automobile mufflers and other surfaces exposed to smoke—especially from the combustion of carbon-rich organic fuels in the... Toxic redirects here, but this is also the name of a song by Britney Spears; see Toxic (song) Look up toxic and toxicity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, one of the alcohols that is most often found in alcoholic beverages. ... Isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol is a common name for propan-2-ol, a colorless, flammable chemical compound with a strong odor. ...

Unsealed alcohol stoves can be inherently dangerous, since spilling is possible and the fuel burns with a nearly invisible flame. Trangia offers an anti-flashback fuel bottle with auto shutoff pourer.

Variations

Pepsi can stove variations with cross sections in yellow. From left to right: Standard design, Inverted two-piece, Side burner, Pressurized.

A side burner stove built from a single can as part of a scouting project.

Standard 

The classic ultra light weight backpacking stove. Designed for one person, lighter than commercial models of the same design.

Inverted two piece 

Smaller and lighter than the standard version, difficult to fill.

Side burner 

Doubles as its own pot stand (holes are in the side). A tight fitting pot can increase fuel pressure.

Pressurized 

A more powerful version, but heavier and more difficult to make. The stove is sealed with a thumbnut after filling with fuel. An additional base is used to hold fuel for preheating.

Insulated 

A variation of the standard without an inner wall. Filled with insulation.

Download high resolution version (1960x406, 80 KB)Pepsi can stove variations source:me Duk 23:07, 31 Oct 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (1960x406, 80 KB)Pepsi can stove variations source:me Duk 23:07, 31 Oct 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... In geometry, a cross section is the intersection of a body in 3-dimensional space with a plane, or of a body in 2-dimensional space with a line, etc. ... Single can pot supporting Soda Can Alcohol Stove File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Single can pot supporting Soda Can Alcohol Stove File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Scouting is a worldwide youth organization. ...

References

1. Stove and Fuel comparisons, (Bushwalking.org)
2. US Patent 560319: W.J.D. Mast (1895) Patent image
3. US Patent 766618: J Heinrichs (1904) Patent image
4. Mueser, Roland Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail (1997)
5. Weight comparison of beverage can stoves vs. some commercial stoves (Hikinghq.net)
6. Berger, Karen: Hiking Light Handbook (2004)

See also

• Portable stove
• Hiking
• Camping
• Cooking on a campfire
• Sterno
• Buddy Burner

A small portable stove and its container MSR WindPro with skillet, heat reflector, wind shield and isobutane/propane canister A portable stove is a stove specially designed to be portable and lightweight, as for camping. ... Beautiful natural scenes are common hiking destinations Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. ... Car camping with all the comforts Camping is an outdoor recreational activity involving the spending of one or more nights in a tent, primitive structure, a travel trailer or recreational vehicle at a campsite with the purpose of getting away from civilization and enjoying nature. ... Cooking in the outdoors using heated stone Campfires can be used for cooking food by a number of techniques. ... Sterno® Canned Heat™ is a chafing fuel made from denatured and jellied alcohol. ... A Buddy Burner is a simple stove made from a can and part of a corrugated paper box. ...

External links

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