LPG

Liquefied Petroleum gas, or LPG as it is better known as, is a hydrocarbon. It contains propane, butane, propylene and butylene. Since it is an inflammable mixture of all these gases, it has to be stored carefully. The various properties of LPG are:

· It is a good mixture of gases, mainly constituting Propane and Butane.

· It has a simple structure in chemical terms.

· It is one of the cleanest of all alternative fuels.

· It is a liquid under normal pressure but at ambient conditions, it is found to be gaseous.

· LPG in vaporous form is two times heavier than air.

· The boiling point of LPG normally ranges anywhere between -42 degrees to 0 degree. The boiling point depends on what proportions are Butane and Propane present in the mixture.

· LPG is almost colourless and has to be stored as liquid under pressure.

· Its weight is about half that of the same volume of water.

· Ethyl Mercaptan is another product which is used to detect LPG leaks. It works like odorant and helps to know when there are LPG leaks.

· LPG’s Flash point is -76 degrees Fahrenheit.

· LPG is essentially a non toxic substance but it can be dangerous if not handled carefully.

· LPG is also known to cause suffocation.

· It is mildly anaesthetic and can be harmful if it is found to be present in high proportions.

· In spite of its anaesthetic properties, LPG has never been used or considered safe enough for medicinal purposes.

· The ignition temperature of LPG is found to be in the range of 410 to 580 deg Celsius.

· It is also known that liquid LPG has resulted in cold burns to human skin since it causes vaporisation at a very fast rate.