What is paraffin lamps

Comments ยท 125 Views

However, if you ever find yourself in America and need to buy kerosene, then we advise you to ask for kerosene since nearly everybody stateside will know it as kerosene, rather than paraffin.

What is Paraffin a common name for a group of high molecular weight alkane hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2, where n is between 22 and 27. What is Paraffin also a technical name for an alkane in general, but in most cases it refers specifically to a linear, or normal alkane. It is mostly found as a white, odorless, tasteless, waxy solid, with a melting point between 47C and 65C. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in ether, benzene, and certain esters. What is Paraffin unaffected by most common chemical reagents but oxidizes readily.
Paraffin wax, or in American English paraffin, is a white wax obtained from petrol or coal. It is used to make candles and in beauty treatments.
What is the difference between Paraffin and Kerosene ?
The names kerosene and what is  paraffin often used interchangeably, but there are in fact some distinctive differences between the two fuels.

To help clear up what the difference is, we’ve put together a short explanation to help anyone who has ever pondered over the concept.

In short, whilst many people believe that kerosene and what is paraffin  essentially the same product, there are some subtle but important differences between the two which we will outline below.

Both of these oils are designed to work perfectly for different applications, which is why you should keep in mind their differences to better understand which would be more suitable for your intended usage.
Why do people think kerosene and paraffin are the same?
Over the years, the names kerosene and paraffin, with the two fuels names becoming interchangeable by many people. This most likely happened due them both being very similar kinds of oil.

Kerosene is often referred to as paraffin in the UK, but also in parts of East and South Africa too. However, if you ever find yourself in America and need to buy kerosene, then we advise you to ask for kerosene since nearly everybody stateside will know it as kerosene, rather than paraffin.

Is there any difference in the odours they give off?
Thanks to modern homes now relying on electricity to provide lighting, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll find homes lit by what is paraffin lamps in the UK, which were originally designed to be used indoors to generate heat.

So, whilst kerosene does carry a noticeable odour, what is paraffin tends to include additives that help reduce the odours it gives off. This makes it a little more suitable for use in your home. A similar procedure is carried out to make kerosene more suitable for use in home barbeques and the pharmaceutical industry.

If you have ever used kerosene for your home heating system, then you may have noticed that it can carry a particularly strong odour. While this isn’t really a problem when you are using it for your boiler, it would be an issue if you were using it indoors.

Comments