Liquid Petroleum Gas: Origins and Uses

Liquid petroleum gas, more commonly known as LPG, is a flammable mixture of gases that is typically used as fuel in heating appliances such as stoves and camping equipment. It is popular throughout the world, but where does it actually come from?

 

Where Does LPG Come From?

Traditionally, LPG is extracted from the Earth’s crust, just like how ordinary natural gas is extracted. The other way in which you can obtain LPG is through a process known as fractional distillation, where crude oil is heated and the different components of crude oil are split, depending on their boiling temperatures. When this method of extraction is used, LPG is the lightest of the components and has the lowest boiling point.

What Does LPG Consist of?

LPG is a mixture of propane and butane; propane is a three-carbon alkane that consists of carbon and hydrogen and has the molecular formula C₃H₈, whereas butane is a four-carbon alkane that has the molecular formula C₄H₁₀.

One issue with storing LPG is that it is odourless, which could potentially be dangerous – it is nontoxic but it is extremely flammable. To fix this, small amounts of a pungent gas – ethanethiol – is added to help people know if there are any potential leaks.

Uses of LPG

The most common use of LPG is in cooking, whether that be at home or on a campsite. In less well-developed continents, such as Africa, South America and Asia, LPG is one of the most common cooking fuels, as it is relatively cheap compared to piped gas in countries like the UK and the USA.

LPG can also be used to fuel internal combustion engines; in this case, it is normally referred to as autogas. Some countries tend to use autogas for a lot of reasons, but the most common are that it is cheaper than using petrol or diesel, decreased smoke emission and, because of the lack of impurities, fuel consumption is reduced.

In the UK, the majority of vehicles don’t tend to use autogas, but one vehicle that does use it and is used frequently in warehousing, haulage, and transportation is the forklift truck.

LPG is used everywhere, but the most common uses are in home cooking, the barbecue and in forklift trucks. At Adams Gas, we are able to supply calor gas so that you can use it for any recreational activity you may be doing, or if you need forklift gas to start using machines at work.

If you want to know more about the LPG gases that we are able to provide, then just give us a call today on 0800 195 4445 and we will be more than happy to help with enquiries you may have.