<p>I was trying to make chicken broth through simmering, and the last time I used a natural gas range (before I moved into my new apt) was when I was 14 (read: no interest in real cooking then). There was still quite a bit of flame – just the level I wanted, producing very gentle boiling bubbles, and as I stayed to wash dishes I’m sure it must have stayed that way for 5 minutes. So feeling comfortable about the fire, I go into my room for 20-30 mins come back and find the flame’s dead! </p>
<p>And the gas was still on – this made me feel scared as suddenly I wondered if I would get a methane explosion if I sparked it back on, but I didn’t smell anything and it didn’t happen.</p>
<p>Anyone have an experience like this before? It’s out of pure scientific curiosity really. I’m guessing that I must have turned it to some magical setting that allowed a flame to continue, but slowly starved the flame of standing fuel, i.e. there was more fuel. until the flame temperature dropped below the autoignition point.</p>
<p>It could be potentially useful too – I could allow something to simmer for an hour or so (by discovering the right setting), go out, and have it self-extinguish and not worry about an apartment fire when I came back.</p>