» Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the form of Calor Commerical Butane and Calor Commercial Propane, is used throughout the country for many applications including cooking and heating. Not only are they used in residential homes but also in caravans, boats and mobile kitchens, as well as in industry where they have many applications.
» Technical Data
Calor butane and propane have the following propertoes:
1. They are vapors at atmospheric temperature and pressure but are normally stored in steel containers of various shapes and sizes in the liquid state. All LPG storage containers, whether static or mobile are typically 87% liquid filled, the remaining 13% of their gross capacity being taken up with vapour state to allow for expansion.
2. LPG whether in liquid or vapour state, contains no toxic components and is therfore non-poisonous. The vapour is, however, slightly anaesthetic when high concentrations are inhaled over a considerable length of time.
3. LPG has a high calorific value (Propane 95 MJ/m3 Butane 121 MJ/m3) compared with natural gas.
4. The products of combustion are similiar to those from natural gas, i.e carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water vapour.
5. Liquid is half the weight of water, volume for volume, and will, therefore lie on top of water like oil and petrol.
6 Butane vapour is twice the weight of air and propane one and a half times, volumes for volume, and will, therefore, sink to the lowest point and, unless efforts are made to disperse it, the accumulation may remain for a long time.
7. The limits of inflammability are 1.9% to 8.5% for butane and 2% to 10.3% for propane in air.
8. One kilogram of butane at 15°C and 1013.25 mabars (dry) produces 0.14m3 of gas. One kilogram of propane at 15°C and 1013.25 mbars (dry) produces 0.54m3 of gas. It is thus possible to store, in liquid form, in a relatively small container, a potentially large volume of vapour.
9. LPG acts as a refrigerant and contains an odorant. Therefore leaks may be detected, in addition to other evidence, by cooling at the leak area and by the smell of the odorant.
Please download the pdf 'LPG Characteristics and Fire Control' for full technical details about propane and butane and the recommended procedure in event of fire involving or seriously exposing LPG equipment, or serious leakage of LPG without fire.
