Apologies to any chemists watching this thread as us stovies try to prevent self annihilation.
Some of the papers linked previously have described the basic combustion process, methane is a very simple carbon structure and will decompose very efficiently allowing CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) rather than CO (Carbon Monoxide) to be produced.
The larger the original molecule (Paraffin) the greater the oxygen requirement for decomposition. Hence differing jet sizes. As I understand it the basic dynamics of the flame in a stove tries to provide an optimun mixture of the vapour with oxygen which is also dependant on the velocity/density/temperature of fluid (in this case paraffin vapour). There is a tendency for a less than efficient mix of oxygen/carbon with larger molecules which leads to a higher concentration of the CO products rather than CO2. (Please if there is anyone there can correct me then do)
Changing any of these variables, eg cooling the flame on a pan of cold water, will alter the decomposition in a critical part of the process, flame quenching. (Decomposition/burning happens in fractions of a second)
At midnight on Friday this is all probably horribly wrong.
Simes
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