Needed Assitance with IA and Possible More efficient Replacements of Bombs Calorimeters

[K.Silas]

Hey Guys,

Like most people in IB chemistry, I too am Junior and I was just seeking some help or advice on a research topic I am hoping to preform for my IA. So far, the research I plan on doing seems like it will be investigating the heat release of the combustion of different fuels aided by different oxidizers that will speed up the combustion or agents that will slow the combustion down. I hoping to show with this experiment how using these agents how it will either increase or decrease efficiency or completeness of combustion. And, if so, show how using one agents rather than another will allow for a greater, more efficient release of potential energy from the combustion of the fuel.

The only problem is I don't quite know how to solve a problem I have been having: our school does not have a bomb calorimeter nor can the school or my family afford it. Ordinarily, our school would just use the coffee can method but this method gives highly inaccurate results since it loses a lot of heat. So, I have been trying to find different was to solve this problem and yet still be able to record the greatest change in temperature reliably, efficiently, and safely.

My idea was that if you could either 1) recreate the bomb of the bomb calorimeter greatly able to withstand the force of the gas evolved or 2) create a dynamic container able to expand like a piston in a car engine then you would be able to calculate the heat release. These designs however are a bit tricky and nor am I an expert in doing so. What I kind of figured for the first part is to  basically recreate the bomb cell of the calorimeter with metal piping, some pipe caps, sealant, wire, low heat welding wire, and some a pressure valves. This, however, is basically the equivalent of creating a bomb- which is not the intent- and is possibly dangerous. There are also some problems with insuring the right proportions of oxygen to the fuel too.

The second part I figured could be done by recreating a piston by using a short piece of piping with one sealed at one end and seal into a much longer piece of piping, again sealed at one end, by a dynamic seal with things that are found in car engines and hydraulics.  

This, too, has it's faults and I thought I would come to you guys to see what your ideas my be about my problem; if you have any resources that would help me in bring this idea to life, improving it, or making it safer; or if you guys had any resources that may help me in reducing the costs of a bomb calorimeter so I can simply avoid the potential hazard; or simply if you guys may have other ideas. I kind of figures I'd present my ideas to you guys so that I could possibly help those trying to answer the same troubling question about calorimeters and see if you had any of your own ideas. In reality, literally any thing helps so please feel free to comment