LP 1 Flashcards
Why can you get LP gas in a tank but not natural gas? Propane normally changes from a liquid to a gas at -46 F (-43 C). However, propane has the nice property that
when you compress it, it condenses into a liquid and will stay that way until it is uncompressed. This means that propane is much easier to store in a tank than natural gas, which does not easily compress. Because natural gas doesn’t compress well into a liquid form, it is typically delivered via a dedicated pipeline to your home.
What is (LP) gas?
LIQUID PROPANE.
LP gas has the advantage of coming in a portable tank, and it is available nearly everywhere, whereas natural gas uses a pipe connected to the gas main at your home.
Another benefit of LP is
that it contains much more energy than natural gas.
A grill’s cooking capability is rated in
British thermal units (BTU).
A BTU is
the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound (0.45 kg) of water 1 F (0.56 Celsius).
A cubic foot of natural gas contains something like ______ BTU of energy. One cubic foot (1 ft3) of propane contains perhaps ______ BTU.
1,000
2,500
Propane is particularly useful as a portable fuel because its boiling point is
-44 F (-42 C). That means that even at very low temperatures, it will vaporize as soon as it is released from its pressurized container. This results in a clean-burning fuel that doesn’t require a lot of equipment to vaporize it and mix it with air. A simple nozzle will suffice.
A single pound of propane can generate __________BTUs
21,548 BTU (British Thermal Units) of energy,
Propane is useful in any situation where fuel is needed but it’s not practical (or possible) to
run lines for natural gas to the site
Many industrial forklifts are LP-gas powered because LP gas provides
enough power to do heavy lifting while generating reduced fumes and pollutants in confined warehouse spaces.
LP gases are actually quite safe in comparison with other fuels. Propane has a high ignition temperature, about
850-950 F (450-510 C), compared to about 495 F (257 C) for gasoline. This makes it less likely to ignite spontaneously.
