Different wicks, different throw.

[KoalaGirl]

Hi everyone, just thinking out aloud here and wondering 'why is it so'?

I keep reading suggestions to 'try a different type of wick' if the scent throw isnt happening. Now, as I understand it, the throw comes from the melt pool so if two different wicks, create the same sized melt, for example, both might be full 1/2 inch MP's and the wick is the only thing thats different, why would one throw nicely and not the other?

Is it to do with the temperature of the melt pool? Im no scientist, but I cant grasp the idea of the scent traveling up the wick and being 'thrown'. I would think, it would get burned up like the wax.

I understand that trying a different sized wick, changes the size of the melt pool which can result in better throw but if the melt pool is already ok, how would a different type of wick help scent throw?

Different types of wicks can help with other problems I realize, but the scent throw thing has me baffled.

P.S. I dont have a problem. I love my CDN's

[radellaf]

Doesn't make much sense to me either. The scent is released only from the melt pool, not the wick itself, which would burn the oil and thus destroy the scent of it.

Size of melt pool and temperature would be the defining factors. I'm not sure if hotter or cooler would help. One seller says the flashpoint of the fragrance oil is important and that higher fp will throw better. I don't buy that, though, as all the oils are very fragrant at room temperature. So, I'd guess you'd want the wick just big enough to get a good melt pool. If it's liquid, I'd think it'd be hot enough, but I really don't know.

[topofmurrayhill]

The burning of the wick does destroy fragrance. You may notice that a candle throws better immediately after you blow it out. Wickless candles throw scent more reliably than wicked ones.

The heat of the flame melts wax and throws scent, but it's a balancing act. A lot of the fragrance is always going up the wick and burning off, which is pretty much tied to the wick's burn rate. Some escapes from the melt pool into the air, based on various factors that include the size, depth and temperature of the melt pool. Since different wicks radiate heat in different ways relative to their burn rate, it causes variations in scent throw.

Interestingly, I've noticed that wicks burning badly throw more scent in some cases. A wick that's kind of clogged, plus has a mushroom, often throws scent very well. The burn rate goes down, so fragrance isn't being skimmed off the melt pool so quickly, but there's a lot of heat radiating from the carbon blob to melt wax and heat the surface of the melt pool.

Edited January 29, 2010 by topofmurrayhill