Temperature Control (Autoignition of Cotton)

[bfisher]

I keep coming across information around the web stating that the burning temperature of cotton is ~410 degrees Fahrenheit and that in order to avoid burning the cotton one must keep the maximum temperature on a temperature controlled device below this number.

I have not found this to be true and am wondering if it is because we should be referencing the Autoignition Point of cotton, rather than the Fire Point of cotton. According to Wikipedia (htttp://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton) the Fire Point of cotton is 410 degrees Fahrenheit and the Autoignition Temperature of cotton is 797 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Fire Point of cotton seems to be the point at which cotton will ignite if introduced to an open flame. The Autoignition Temperature looks to be the point at which cotton will ignite spontaneously.

It seems to me that unless our Temperature Controlled mods have started shooting flames we should be more interested in keeping the maximum temperature setting below the Autoignition Temperature (at least with respect to the topic of burning cotton).

Thoughts?

 

[Paul lamb]

No I don't think that's exactly how it works

When the wick is soaked in ejuice and the airflow is hitting then coils your kanthal builds could be well in excess of 800 degrees

 

[bfisher]

Isn't the point of a Temperature Controlled device to limit the temperature? Would seem a little silly if I specified a Temperature of 400/500/600 degrees Fahrenheit only to be greeted with 800 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[bfisher]

To be certain. I have turned the temperature well above 410 degrees Fahrenheit and activated the mod in durations of ~10 seconds with a fresh dry cotton wick and cannot see any signs of burning.

 

[bfisher]

Also... Kanthal isn't usable as a temperature controllable metal (to the best of my knowledge). I'm currently using Titanium Grade 1.

 

[Ryedan]

I keep coming across information around the web stating that the burning temperature of cotton is ~410 degrees Fahrenheit and that in order to avoid burning the cotton one must keep the maximum temperature on a temperature controlled device below this number.

410 F is the scorching point of dry cotton, where it just starts to turn a bit brown. I've used that to help me check temperature calibration of a TC build.

I have not found this to be true and am wondering if it is because we should be referencing the Autoignition Point of cotton, rather than the Fire Point of cotton. According to Wikipedia (htttp://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton) the Fire Point of cotton is 410 degrees Fahrenheit and the Autoignition Temperature of cotton is 797 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Fire Point of cotton seems to be the point at which cotton will ignite if introduced to an open flame. The Autoignition Temperature looks to be the point at which cotton will ignite spontaneously.

It seems to me that unless our Temperature Controlled mods have started shooting flames we should be more interested in keeping the maximum temperature setting below the Autoignition Temperature (at least with respect to the topic of burning cotton).

Thoughts?

I don't know at what temperature cotton ignites, but IMO It doesn't really matter for vaping. TC senses the average temperature of the coil wire, not the wick. Once a wick is wet it draws heat from the surface of a coil wire and dissipates it by turning juice into vapor so fast the wick will pretty much never get hot enough to burn.

When I use TC it's all about keeping juice from getting hot enough to degrade and change into nasty chemicals, not about wick temp

 

[bfisher]

That's actually what got me thinking about the issue.

I have a couple different temperature controlled mods (VaporShark DNA 200 and LavaBox DNA 200) and neither of them scortch (brown) the cotton at 410 Fahrenheit unless I manually exaggerate the resistance of the coil in the EScribe software.