kerosene oil rises up in the wick of lantern because of capillary action.
kerosene oil rises up in the wick of lantern because of capillary action.
why does kerosene oil rise up in the wick of lantern?
capillary action
the lamp burner has a flat wick, usually made of cotton. the lower part of the wick dips into the fount and absorbs the kerosene; the top part of the wick extends out of the wick tube of the lamp burner, which includes a wick-adjustment mechanism. adjusting how much of the wick extends above the wick tube controls the flame. the wick tube surrounds the wick and ensures that the correct amount of air reaches the lamp burner. adjustment is usually done by means of a small knob operating a cric, which is a toothed metal sprocket bearing against the wick. if the wick is too high, and extends beyond the burner cone at the top of the wick tube, the lamp will produce smoke and soot (unburned carbon). when the lamp is lit, the kerosene that the wick has absorbed burns and produces a clear, bright, yellow flame. as the kerosene burns, capillary action in the wick draws more kerosene up from the fuel tank. all kerosene flat-wick lamps use the dead-flame burner design, where the flame is fed cold air from below, and hot air exits above.
kerosene lamp
a kerosene lamp (also known as a paraffin lamp in some countries) is a type of lighting device that uses kerosene as a fuel. the practical kerosene-fueled lamp was invented by the polish pharmacist ignacy łukasiewicz in lviv in 1853, as significant improvement over lamps designed to burn vegetable or sperm oil. kerosene lamps have a wick or mantle as light source, protected by a glass chimney or globe; lamps may be used on a table, or hand-held lanterns may be used for portable lighting. like oil lamps, they are useful for lighting without electricity, such as in regions without rural electrification, in electrified areas during power outages, at campsites, and on boats. there are three types of kerosene lamp: flat-wick, central-draught (tubular round wick), and mantle lamp. kerosene lanterns meant for portable use have a flat wick and are made in dead-flame, hot-blast, and cold-blast variants.
kerosene lamp