How did the central burner improve European lamps during the 18th century?

The 18th-century introduction of the central burner, most notably the Argand burner patented by Aimé Argand in 1784, represented a major advancement in lamp technology.12

Unlike earlier designs, the Argand burner utilized a cylindrical wick positioned between two concentric metal tubes. This configuration allowed air to rise through the center of the wick, supporting combustion on both the inner and outer surfaces of the flame. When paired with a glass chimney, this design significantly increased the draft, which facilitated more complete burning of the fuel.12

These improvements resulted in a flame that was both cleaner and substantially brighter—producing approximately 10 times the light of previous lamps of comparable size. Additionally, these lamps featured mechanisms such as ratchets for better control of the wick, marking a significant evolution from the simpler, less efficient open-saucer lamps that had been common for centuries.13