Tin Can Pulse Jet

Tin Can Pulse Jet.

Start with a 14.5 oz can of broth with a single 11mm hole in the top and center. Drain and rinse well. Add a tablespoon or so of Methyl Alcohol (sold under the brand HEET in a yellow container at any auto shop). Pump in a bit of fresh air to get the fuel air mixture close enough to combust.

After lighting, there is an initial pressure surge as the flame front propagates down the interior of the can. The pressure pushes the exhaust gas out of the hole and creates a vacuum inside the can. Reduced pressure causes some of the methyl alcohol to vaporize. Reignition occurs and the process repeats. Interestingly, this cycle happens well below the resonant frequency of the tin can and sounds similar to a much larger gasoline engine. All this with no moving parts!

The run time can be extended significantly by water cooling the exterior of the can. Here, a slightly larger tin can was used as a water jacket.

Duration : 0:1:8

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