[Stoves] two different manners to start a fire

[Boll, Martin Dr.]

Dear stoves-list-eners

I want to share with you ideas of different manners to start a fire.

1. The old one: Get a relative high amount of heat to light a relative high amount of fuel with low self-ignition temperature: 
drilled fire with first glowing charcoal-dust. 
-The following flame is only reached by forced air, -when the charcoal is still "burning".

2. The newer one: Get a _very low_ amount of _very high_ heat to light a _very small amount of very small-shaped_ fuel with high self-ignition temperature: 
A spark can start a gas mixture or some cotton-cloud. There is immediately a flame.

( remark: The tiny piezo-spark does only start a gas-air mixture, the fire-steel and the old lighters where a wheel makes the spark can start a light cotton-cloud.)
( by the way:  filter-residues of a cloth-dryer are similar to "wide-spread" cotton.)

Thoughts on the background:
That is all due to the different temperatures of self-ignition of charcoal (low) and woodgas (high).
-And even important, the amount of mass and shape of the fuel.
Mind: Only fuel that is in _at least two dimensions small_ is real small fuel.
e.g. take a sheet of paper and will not succeed.

By the thoughts about that, I remind you to the topic of holding a continuous flame in a turned-down Tlud, some weeks ago. That is just the same point, which makes the difference for woodgas to burn or not to burn.

 Here "the owls brought to Athens":
Simple glowing charcoal does not light woodgas.
Only the "blown" glowing charcoal has the self-incending temperature of woodgas.
That is the point!
And the simple question out of that: 
What is the minimal speed of air, to make the charcoal glow with the self-ignition temperature of woodgas? Bright glowing charcoal ! 
Interesting to know exactly -- to keep the Tluds from smoldering by accelerating the air-flow up to that speed.
Just a tiny area of bright glow on the upper surface would be sufficient.

Smile about

Martin