LPG: Liquified Petroleum Gas, LP Gas, Propane – LPG vs Natural Gas – What is LPG
What is LPG? Liquified petroleum gas – LPG (LP gas) – is the flammable hydrocarbon gases propane, butane, isobutane and mixes of the three gases.
LPG (LP gas) or propane is used in gas heating, cooking, LPG hot water, various commercial LPG (LP gas) applications, and LP gas vehicles.
Also spelled liquefied petroleum gas and liquid petroleum gas, LPG (propane) is used indoors in homes and outdoors as LPG in gas BBQs, camp stoves and many other applications.
What is LPG – Liquified Petroleum Gas – Define LPG
To define LPG, there are a number of fuel gases that fall under the definition of LPG (LP gas) – liquified petroleum gas label, including propane, butane (n-butane) and isobutane (i-butane), as well as mixtures of these gases.
They are also referred to as natural gas liquids or NGLs.
LPG (propane) – liquified petroleum gas is colourless and odourless until an odourant is added for safety reasons.
When compressed, liquified petroleum gas takes liquid form, and when burnt LPG (LP gas) has a high energy content.
LPG (LP gas) can be conveniently stored and transported as LPG in gas bottles and LPG tanks.
Liquified petroleum gas LPG is an excellent fuel as LPG in gas heating, cooking, and many other applications.
LPG Gas Constituents – LPG Composition – What is LPG made of? LPG vs Natural Gas
Liquified petroleum gas – LPG (LP gas) is made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms forming propane and butane whilst natural gas is made up of lighter methane.
The LPG gas constituents (LPG composition) can be either propane gas, butane gas or a composition of the two. Isobutane may also be a constituent.
The LPG (LP gas) flammable hydrocarbon gases, including propane, are liquefied through pressurisation and commonly used as fuel. Natural gas is liquefied cryogenically.
Stored as Liquified petroleum gas – LPG in gas vessels ranging from small BBQ LP gas bottles to larger propane gas cylinders and LPG tanks.
Propane Gas and Butane Gas as Natural Gas Liquids – NGLs
The typical LPG gas constituent gases – propane gas and butane gas – are regarded as Natural Gas Liquids – NGLs.
However, not all NGLs are liquified petroleum gas – LPG (LP gas).
Natural gas liquids, also called Condensate, include other hydrocarbons, too.
Interestingly, LNG – liquefied natural gas – is NOT a natural gas liquid.
What are Natural Gas Liquids – NGLs? Propane and Butane
Raw natural gas, as it comes out of the ground, contains a number of gases and compounds, as well as impurities.
However, it is predominantly methane (CH4) gas, which is more commonly known as natural gas.
The raw natural gas must be processed to obtain pipeline quality clean, dry natural gas (methane), including the removal of impurities.
NGLs – Natural Gas Liquids – or condensate are the heavier hydrocarbons that remain after the methane (dry natural gas) and impurities are removed.
NGLs include isobutane, ethane, ethene, propene, isobutene, butadiene, pentane, pentene and pentanes plus, as well as propane gas and butane gas.
Natural gas liquids (NGL) range from 1% to 10% of the raw natural gas flow.
LPG Meaning: Various Names for Liquified Petroleum Gas – LPG – LP Gas – Propane
LPG meaning is as an acronym for Liquified Petroleum Gas.
Liquified petroleum gas LPG (LP gas) when used in homes for cooking, heating and hot water it’s called LPG, LPG gas, LP gas, propane or propane gas.
When used in vehicles LPG is generally called Autogas.
In small portable cylinders, liquified petroleum gas is sometimes referred to as BBQ gas or camping gas.
Commercial LP gas applications tend to use the gas names, like propane or propane gas.
Propane gas is used as LPG fuel, refrigerant, and petrochemicals.
Butane is used as LPG fuel, refrigerant, and as an aerosol propellant.
Isobutane is used as as an aerosol propellant, refrigerant and as an additive in gasoline.
LPG Gas vs Natural Gas Differences – LPG vs Natural Gas Differences
- Looking at LPG vs natural gas, Liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas) is propane and/or butane while natural gas and methane gas are the same
Liquefied petroleum gas – LPG gas (propane) is heavier than air and natural gas is lighter than air- Considering LPG gas vs natural gas, LPG in gas bottles is liquefied through pressurisation and natural gas is cryogenically turned into liquefied natural gas and stored in cryogenic containers
- Distributing LPG vs natural gas, Liquefied petroleum gas LP gas (propane) is distributed as LPG in gas bottles, cylinders, and tanks and natural gas can also be compressed into bottles whilst Natural gas is conveyed via pipeline
- For the pressure of LPG gas vs natural gas, Liquefied petroleum gas LPG gas (propane gas) appliances operate at 2.75 kPa and natural gas appliances operate at 1.1 kPa
- Liquefied petroleum gas LP gas (propane) turns from liquid to gas at a relatively low temperature
- Liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas) : Propane is C3H8 & Butane is C4H10 whilst the Natural Gas and Methane formula is CH4
- Liquefied petroleum gas LPG gas (propane) has a higher energy content at 93.2MJ/m3 and natural gas is at 38.7MJ/m3
- Considering the air to gas ratio for LPG gas vs natural gas, Liquefied petroleum gas LP gas (propane) requires a higher air to gas ratio for combustion at a 25 to 1 ratio and natural gas has a 10 to 1 ratio
- Natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas LPG gas (propane) are both derived from natural gas processing.
- Natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas LP gas (propane) can also be derived through crude oil refining
- Liquefied petroleum gas LPG gas (propane) is distributed as LPG in gas bottles and tanks vs natural gas being conveyed via pipeline
- Although there are major differences between the natural gas and natural gas liquids, liquefied petroleum gas LPG and natural gas are used for thousands of applications in homes and businesses.
Where Does Liquified Petroleum Gas – LPG Come From? LPG in Gas
Liquified petroleum gas – LPG gases are found naturally in combination with other hydrocarbons and fossil fuels, typically crude oil and natural gas.
LPG (LP gas) is produced during natural gas processing, where it is stripped from the raw natural gas, where it is LPG in gas.
Liquified petroleum gas also comes from oil refining, where it is separated using heat.
When isolated, LPG (LP gas) can be liquefied through pressurisation and stored as LPG (propane) in gas pressure vessels commonly referred to as gas bottles, gas cylinders or gas tanks.
Elgas LPG (LP gas) is stored in various ways.
• Small SWAP’n’GO bottles contain LP gas (propane) and is used as LPG in gas BBQs, camp stoves, and outdoor heating
• As LPG in gas cylinders ranging from 45kg-210kg for homes and businesses
• Large tanks used for industrial and commercial applications
Liquified Petroleum Gas Refined from Crude Oil
Crude oil is piped out of oil wells and into a gas trap, which separates the stream into crude oil products and ‘wet’ natural gas, which contains liquified petroleum gas – LPG (LP gas), natural gas, and impurities.
The heavier crude oil sinks to the bottom of the trap and is then pumped into an oil storage tank and transported to refineries.
Liquified petroleum gas LPG (LP gas) is one of the refined products derived from crude oil distillation.
Crude oil undergoes a variety of refining processes, including the use of distillation towers (see image), catalytic cracking, crude distillation, and others.
Once refined, LPG (LP gas) is stored as a liquid LPG in gas bottles such as the familiar 45kg gas bottles.
The dry natural gas, which is methane, is piped to towns and cities as natural gas for distribution by gas utility companies.
What is Liquified Petroleum Gas LPG Used for?
Liquified petroleum gas LPG (LP gas) is used for cooking, heating, hot water, Autogas, aerosol propellant, air conditioning refrigerant and various commercial applications, including boilers, dryers and ovens.
For home use LPG (propane) is typically supplied in 45kg gas bottles.
LPG (LP gas) has many additional uses for caravans, motorhomes, boats, camping and even hot air balloons.
Business, industrial and agricultural uses of liquified petroleum gas include processes such as LPG (propane) kilns, ovens, steam boilers and forklifts.
Vaporisation: LPG Liquid to Gas – LPG Gas Pressure
LPG liquid turns back into gas vapour at its boiling point, -42 °C or -44 °F, when you release some of the LPG gas pressure in the LPG (propane) gas bottle by turning on your LPG (LP gas) appliance.
The steel walls of the LPG gas bottle draw heat from the ambient temperature to heat the liquid LPG (LP gas) and even more when you are using it.
If you could see through the steel walls, LPG (LP gas) would look like boiling water (see image).
Vaporisation also makes the liquified petroleum gas – LPG (propane) in gas bottle feel colder than the ambient temperature and even colder when you are using the gas.
The propane gas vapour is held at the top of the bottle and the liquid LPG is at the bottom.
The level of fill of the LPG (LP gas) in gas bottle comes into play when the LPG (LP gas) is being used, as it affects the rate of vaporisation.
The greater the fill, the greater the wall area in contact with the liquid, called the wetted area, and results in faster vaporisation.
An increase in temperature also results in faster vaporisation and higher LPG gas pressure.
As a liquified petroleum gas and at a constant temperature, the LPG gas pressure inside the cylinder will remain the same from full until the last of the liquid LPG is vapourised.
What is LPG Gas Pressure of the LPG in Gas Cylinders?
The LPG gas pressure of the liquified petroleum gas – LPG (propane) in gas bottles is dependent upon the temperature of the vessel.
The higher the temperature, the higher the LPG gas pressure of the LPG (LP gas) in gas cylinders.
The LPG gas pressure range for propane is from 152 kPa (24 PSIG) at 0ºC to 1794 kPa (257 PSIG) at 54ºC.
The propane gas exists as both liquid and vapour (gas) within the cylinder.
The term “pressure” refers to the average force per unit of area that the gas exerts on the inside walls of the LPG (propane) gas cylinders.
The LPG gas pressure drops to zero at -43ºC (which is just below the boiling point for propane gas) and the LPG gas pressure of liquified petroleum gas – LPG (LP gas) in gas bottles becomes greater at even higher temperatures.
LPG Compound Chemical Formulas (Formulae)
There are a number of LPG compound chemical formulas.
Starting with the lowest carbon chemical formula, the Ethane chemical formula is C2H6.
The propane gas chemical formula is C3H8.
Butane and Isobutane both have the same chemical formula, C4H10, as isobutane is an isomer of butane.
Pentane (n-pentane) chemical formula is C5H12, but is only a gas over 36.1°C.
Heavier hydrocarbons (pentanes plus) are liquids or waxy solids.
LPG (LPG Gas) is Heavier Than Air – Propane is Heavier than Air – LPG Gas vs Natural Gas Density
In answer to the frequently asked question “Is LPG heavier than air”, the answer is “YES”.
For example, if the density of air is equal to 1.00, the density of propane is 1.53. So, LPG (propane) is heavier than air.
Butane is even heavier, at 2.00. Isobutane is heavier still, at 2.07.
On the other hand, for LPG gas vs natural gas, natural gas – methane – is lighter than air, at about 60% of the density of air.
Eco-Friendly Clean Burning
Liquified petroleum gas – LPG (LP gas) or propane is an eco-friendly energy choice, as it is a low-carbon and low-Sulphur fuel.
LPG gases, including propane gas, result in lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions than other energy sources, such as coal-fired electricity.
Replacing your electric hot water system with a 6-Star LPG continuous flow hot water system can reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced from your hot water use by about 75%.
Liquified petroleum gas – LPG (LP gas) can help lower greenhouse emissions, as a transitional fuel, during the transition to renewable energy sources.
Make the Switch to ELGAS Liquified Petroleum Gas – LPG (LP gas)
If you are looking for an alternative to electricity, ELGAS liquified petroleum gas – LPG (LP gas) could be the perfect energy source for you.
Contact Elgas for LPG (LP gas) for home or business.
Our LPG (propane) experts are on hand to answer any questions you have and will help you sort out the most cost-effective and energy-efficient LPG (LP gas) service for your needs.