These air pockets inside have a small pinhole size exit holes. When they're lit, the air inside heats up and squirts out of the small hole blowing on the briquette next to it.

Not for long but perhaps long enough get get a small spot on the adjacent briquette lit.

Assuming they were pre-infused with starter fluid, you'd just throw a match on, in a few seconds the whole thing would start hissing as the air escaped and you'd have enough charcoal lit for the rest of the process to sustain itself.
-- doctorremulac3, Nov 30 2011

Funny, I just brought in dinner from the barbecue when I saw this.. LPelletG_20Stove
Put these inside the briquettes... [normzone, Dec 01 2011]

Liquid Oxygen and Charcoal, for reference http://www.youtube....watch?v=UjPxDOEdsX8
[quadmaster, Dec 05 2011]

Since the amount of gas released is small, better it should be pure O_2. Or add to the briquette some substance which releases oxygen when it (thermally) decomposes. Potassium permanganate maybe?

... and: //Utilizes// Eww. What's wrong with "Uses?" Mother bloody tongue is going to the demnition bow-wows.
-- mouseposture, Nov 30 2011


How about "usificates"?

True, there's not a lot of O2 in there but there might be some cumulative effect of all those things blowing at one time.
-- doctorremulac3, Nov 30 2011


I don't think there would be enough volume to make a difference.
-- bungston, Dec 04 2011


Maybe the oxygen in deeper pockets could be pressurized before production was over.
-- ye_river_xiv, Dec 04 2011


Yea, but the air inside would still rather go out of that hole first. It's the path of least resistance.
-- doctorremulac3, Dec 05 2011


Note: if you mix oxidizer and charcoal, what you have made is solid rocket fuel. You will have a very, very cooked meal.
-- quadmaster, Dec 05 2011


Well, it could be a very low ratio of oxidiser to charcoal, couldn't it? If we don't get the proportion quite right, it'll still be marketable to the demographic that pours an entire can of lighter fluid on the grill.
-- mouseposture, Dec 05 2011


//But how do you get the air to become trapped in the briquette to begin with?//

Just cast a hollow briquette by having two concave sides that you glue together with more liquid briquette mixture. Leave a pinhole in one side. Voila.

Believe it or not I'm very familiar with the oxygen barbeque link. One of my favorites, I've watched it several times. If you've never played with liquid oxygen and fire before I would highly recommend it.
-- doctorremulac3, Dec 05 2011


// Or add to the briquette some substance which releases oxygen when it (thermally) decomposes.// Baked by Benjamin Thompson in the late 1700s; he devised fuel pellets comprising charcoal, clay, and potassium nitrate.
-- spidermother, Dec 05 2011


You know, I'm curious why that hasn't caught on. Just have an edge of the briquette be made of some form of solid rocket fuel that's self oxidizing and burns hot enough to get the coal going.

Maybe you get into shipping issues with friction during movement causing the whole bag to ignite or something.
-- doctorremulac3, Dec 05 2011


I hereby say "Thermite!".

[8th], that means I win your favourite marble.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 05 2011



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