Chafing fuel is a generic term for various products that are used for heating food. These products often contain methanol

Methanol

Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH . It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than, ethanol...

, ethanol

Ethanol

Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...

, or diethylene glycol

Diethylene glycol

Diethylene glycol is an organic compound with the formula 2O. It is a colorless, practically odorless, poisonous, and hygroscopic liquid with a sweetish taste. It is miscible in water, alcohol, ether, acetone, and ethylene glycol. DEG is a widely used solvent...

, as these may be burned safely indoors. These fuels are also used for emergency heating, outdoor cooking, and fondue

Fondue

Fondue is a Swiss dish of melted cheese served in a communal pot over a spirit lamp , and eaten by dipping long-stemmed forks with bread into the cheese...

.

Types of fuel

The first two fuels are similar with regards to consistency, both having a gel form (viscosities can vary with brand), operating procedures, and product design. Ethanol is a more energetic fuel giving 1300kJ/mol heat of combustion

Heat of combustion

The heat of combustion is the energy released as heat when a compound undergoes complete combustion with oxygen under standard conditions. The chemical reaction is typically a hydrocarbon reacting with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, water and heat...

 compared to methanol’s 726kJ/mol. The common gel methanol or ethanol chafing fuel is contained in a steel can with a resealable plug lid in sizes based on burn times. Two, four, and six-hour burn times are the most common sizes of methanol and ethanol chafing fuels available. The colour of the fuel being used can also vary among manufacturers.

Diethylene glycol chafing fuel differs because the “fuel” itself is unflammable. The container housing the fuel is equipped with a wick

Wick

Wick may refer to:* David Wicks, fictional character from a British soap opera. Not to be confused with David Wicks, American comedian/actor.* Candle wick, the cord used in a candle or oil lamp...

 to allow the chemical to be combusted. It is considered safer than methanol or ethanol gel fuels because spilled DEG fuel will not combust. The fuel is in a liquid form and thus the canister in which it is contained usually differs by having a more leak resistant screw cap rather than a plug. DEG has a higher heat of combustion then ethanol or methanol gel at 2155 kJ/mol.

As a camping fuel

There are many advantages and disadvantages to using chafing fuels for camping purposes. The lightweight size and the burn time per gram of fuel weight received from this method is very high. Chafing fuels are also clean burning, quiet, safer, and readily available then most other portable heat sources. However their main disadvantage is their lower heat output when compared to popular alternatives such as white gas

White gas

White gas is a common name for two flammable substances. In its most common modern usage, it is used as a generic name for camp stove and lantern fuel, usually naphtha....

 and kerosene

Kerosene

Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...

. This results in longer cooking times.