20/03/2017 LiquefiedpetroleumgasWikipedia

Liquefiedpetroleumgas
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Liquefiedpetroleumgasorliquidpetroleumgas(LPGorLPgas),also
referredtoassimplypropaneorbutane,areflammablemixturesof
hydrocarbongasesusedasfuelinheatingappliances,cookingequipment,
andvehicles.

Itisincreasinglyusedasanaerosolpropellant[1]andarefrigerant,[2]
replacingchlorofluorocarbonsinanefforttoreducedamagetotheozone
layer.Whenspecificallyusedasavehiclefuelitisoftenreferredtoas
autogas.

VarietiesofLPGboughtandsoldincludemixesthataremostlypropane
(C3H8),mostlybutane(C4H10)and,mostcommonly,mixesincludingboth
propaneandbutane.Inthenorthernhemispherewinter,themixescontain
morepropane,whileinsummer,theycontainmorebutane.[3][4]Inthe
UnitedStates,mainlytwogradesofLPGaresold:commercialpropaneand
HD5.ThesespecificationsarepublishedbytheGasProcessors
Association(GPA)[5]andtheAmericanSocietyofTestingandMaterials Two45kg(99lb)LPGcylindersin
(ASTM).[6]Propane/butaneblendsarealsolistedinthesespecifications. NewZealandusedfordomestic
supply.
Propylene,butylenesandvariousotherhydrocarbonsareusuallyalso
presentinsmallconcentrations.HD5limitstheamountofpropylenethat
canbeplacedinLPGto5%,andisutilizedasanautogasspecification.A
powerfulodorant,ethanethiol,isaddedsothatleakscanbedetectedeasily.
TheinternationallyrecognizedEuropeanStandardisEN589.IntheUnited
States,tetrahydrothiophene(thiophane)oramylmercaptanarealso
approvedodorants,[7]althoughneitheriscurrentlybeingutilized.

LPGispreparedbyrefiningpetroleumor"wet"naturalgas,andisalmost
entirelyderivedfromfossilfuelsources,beingmanufacturedduringthe LPGminibusesinHongKong
refiningofpetroleum(crudeoil),orextractedfrompetroleumornatural
gasstreamsastheyemergefromtheground.Itwasfirstproducedin1910
byDr.WalterSnelling,andthefirstcommercialproductsappearedin1912.
Itcurrentlyprovidesabout3%ofallenergyconsumed,andburnsrelatively
cleanlywithnosootandveryfewsulfuremissions.Asitisagas,itdoes
notposegroundorwaterpollutionhazards,butitcancauseairpollution.
LPGhasatypicalspecificcalorificvalueof46.1MJ/kgcomparedwith
42.5MJ/kgforfueloiland43.5MJ/kgforpremiumgradepetrol
(gasoline).[8]However,itsenergydensitypervolumeunitof26MJ/Lis
lowerthaneitherthatofpetrolorfueloil,asitsrelativedensityislower LPGFordFalcontaxicabinCanberra
(about0.50.58kg/L,comparedto0.710.77kg/Lforgasoline).

Asitsboilingpointisbelowroomtemperature,LPGwillevaporatequicklyatnormaltemperaturesandpressures
andisusuallysuppliedinpressurisedsteelvessels.Theyaretypicallyfilledto8085%oftheircapacitytoallow
forthermalexpansionofthecontainedliquid.Theratiobetweenthevolumesofthevaporizedgasandtheliquefied
gasvariesdependingoncomposition,pressure,andtemperature,butistypicallyaround250:1.Thepressureat
whichLPGbecomesliquid,calleditsvapourpressure,likewisevariesdependingoncompositionandtemperature

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forexample,itisapproximately220kilopascals(32psi)forpurebutaneat20C(68F),andapproximately2,200
kilopascals(320psi)forpurepropaneat55C(131F).LPGisheavierthanair,unlikenaturalgas,andthuswill
flowalongfloorsandtendtosettleinlowspots,suchasbasements.Therearetwomaindangersfromthis.The
firstisapossibleexplosionifthemixtureofLPGandairiswithintheexplosivelimitsandthereisanignition
source.ThesecondissuffocationduetoLPGdisplacingair,causingadecreaseinoxygenconcentration.

Contents
1 Uses
1.1 Cooking
1.2 Ruralheating
1.3 Motorfuel
1.4 Refrigeration
2 Securityofsupply
3 Historyofcylinders
4 Comparisonwithnaturalgas
5 Environmentaleffects
6 Fire/explosionriskandmitigation
7 Seealso
8 References
9 Externallinks

Uses
LPGhasaverywidevarietyofuses,mainlyusedforcylindersacrossmanydifferentmarketsasanefficientfuel
containerintheagricultural,recreation,hospitality,calefaction,construction,sailingandfishingsectors.Itcan
serveasfuelforcooking,centralheatingandtowaterheatingandisaparticularlycosteffectiveandefficientway
toheatoffgridhomes.

Cooking

LPGisusedforcookinginmanycountriesforeconomicreasons,forconvenienceorbecauseitisthepreferred
fuelsource.

Accordingtothe2011censusofIndia,33.6million(28.5%)IndianhouseholdsusedLPGascookingfuelin2011,
whichissuppliedtotheirhomesinpressurisedcylinders.[9]LPGissubsidisedbythegovernmentinIndia.Increase
inLPGpriceshasbeenapoliticallysensitivematterinIndiaasitpotentiallyaffectstheurbanmiddleclassvoting
pattern.

LPGwasonceapopularcookingfuelinHongKonghowever,thecontinuedexpansionoftowngastobuildings
hasreducedLPGusagetolessthan24%ofresidentialunits.

LPGisthemostcommoncookingfuelinBrazilianurbanareas,beingusedinvirtuallyallhouseholds,withthe
exceptionofthecitiesofRiodeJaneiroandSoPaulo,whichhaveanaturalgaspipelineinfrastructure.Poor
familiesreceiveagovernmentgrant("ValeGs")usedexclusivelyfortheacquisitionofLPG.

LPGiscommonlyusedinNorthAmericafordomesticcookingandoutdoorgrilling.

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Ruralheating

PredominantlyinEuropeandruralpartsofmanycountries,LPGcanprovide
analternativetoelectricheating,heatingoil,orkerosene.LPGismostoften
usedinareasthatdonothavedirectaccesstopipednaturalgas.

LPGcanbeusedasapowersourceforcombinedheatandpowertechnologies
(CHP).CHPistheprocessofgeneratingbothelectricalpowerandusefulheat
fromasinglefuelsource.ThistechnologyhasallowedLPGtobeusednotjust
asfuelforheatingandcooking,butalsofordecentralizedgenerationof
electricity.
CylinderswithLPgasinIndia
LPGcanbestoredinavarietyofmanners.LPG,aswithotherfossilfuels,can
becombinedwithrenewablepowersourcestoprovidegreaterreliabilitywhile
stillachievingsomereductioninCO2emissions.

Motorfuel

WhenLPGisusedtofuelinternalcombustionengines,itisoftenreferred
toasautogasorautopropane.Insomecountries,ithasbeenusedsincethe
1940sasapetrolalternativeforsparkignitionengines.Insomecountries,
thereareadditivesintheliquidthatextendenginelifeandtheratioof
butanetopropaneiskeptquitepreciseinfuelLPG.Tworecentstudies
haveexaminedLPGfueloilfuelmixesandfoundthatsmokeemissions
andfuelconsumptionarereducedbuthydrocarbonemissionsare
increased.[10][11]ThestudiesweresplitonCOemissions,withonefinding
significantincreases,[10]andtheotherfindingslightincreasesatlowengine
loadbutaconsiderabledecreaseathighengineload.[11]Itsadvantageis
thatitisnontoxic,noncorrosiveandfreeoftetraethylleadorany
additives,andhasahighoctanerating(102108RONdependingonlocal
specifications).Itburnsmorecleanlythanpetrolorfueloilandis
especiallyfreeoftheparticulatespresentinthelatter.

LPGhasalowerenergydensitythaneitherpetrolorfueloil,sothe
equivalentfuelconsumptionishigher.Manygovernmentsimposelesstax LPGfillingconnectoronacar
onLPGthanonpetrolorfueloil,whichhelpsoffsetthegreater
consumptionofLPGthanofpetrolorfueloil.However,inmanyEuropean
countriesthistaxbreakisoftencompensatedbyamuchhigherannualroad
taxoncarsusingLPGthanoncarsusingpetrolorfueloil.Propaneisthe
thirdmostwidelyusedmotorfuelintheworld.2013estimatesarethatover
24.9millionvehiclesarefueledbypropanegasworldwide.Over25million
tonnes(over9billionUSgallons)areusedannuallyasavehiclefuel.

NotallautomobileenginesaresuitableforusewithLPGasafuel.LPG
provideslessuppercylinderlubricationthanpetrolordiesel,soLPGfueled
enginesaremorepronetovalveweariftheyarenotsuitablymodified. Whiteborderedgreendiamond
ManymoderncommonraildieselenginesrespondwelltoLPGuseasa symbolusedonLPGpowered
supplementaryfuel.ThisiswhereLPGisusedasfuelaswellasdiesel. vehiclesinChina
SystemsarenowavailablethatintegratewithOEMenginemanagement
systems.

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Refrigeration

LPGisinstrumentalinprovidingoffthegridrefrigeration,usuallybymeansofagasabsorptionrefrigerator.

Blendedofpure,drypropane(refrigerantdesignatorR290)andisobutane(R600a)theblend"R290a"has
negligibleozonedepletionpotentialandverylowglobalwarmingpotentialandcanserveasafunctional
replacementforR12,R22,R134aandotherchlorofluorocarbonorhydrofluorocarbonrefrigerantsin
conventionalstationaryrefrigerationandairconditioningsystems.[12]

Suchsubstitutioniswidelyprohibitedordiscouragedinmotorvehicleairconditioningsystems,onthegrounds
thatusingflammablehydrocarbonsinsystemsoriginallydesignedtocarrynonflammablerefrigerantpresentsa
significantriskoffireorexplosion.[13][14]

Vendorsandadvocatesofhydrocarbonrefrigerantsargueagainstsuchbansonthegroundsthattherehavebeen
veryfewsuchincidentsrelativetothenumberofvehicleairconditioningsystemsfilledwithhydrocarbons.[15][16]
Oneparticulartest,conductedbyaprofessorattheUniversityofNewSouthWales,unintentionallytestedthe
worstcasescenarioofasuddenandcompleterefrigerantexpulsionintothepassengercompartmentfollowedby
subsequentignition.Heandseveralothersinthecarsustainedminorburnstotheirface,ears,andhands,and
severalobserversreceivedlacerationsfromtheburstglassofthefrontpassengerwindow.Noonewasseriously
injured.[17]

Securityofsupply
Becauseofthenaturalgasandtheoilrefiningindustry,EuropeisalmostselfsufficientinLPG.Europe'ssecurity
ofsupplyisfurthersafeguardedby:

awiderangeofsources,bothinsideandoutsideEurope
aflexiblesupplychainviawater,railandroadwithnumerousroutesandentrypointsintoEurope

Accordingto201012estimates,provenworldreservesofnaturalgas,fromwhichmostLPGisderived,standat
300trillioncubicmeters(10,600trillioncubicfeet).AddedtotheLPGderivedfromcrackingcrudeoil,this
amountstoamajorenergysourcethatisvirtuallyuntappedandhasmassivepotential.Productioncontinuesto
growatanaverageannualrateof2.2%,virtuallyassuringthatthereisnoriskofdemandoutstrippingsupplyinthe
foreseeablefuture.

Historyofcylinders
LPGcylindershavebeendevelopedovertimeandtheirheritagecanbeseeninthevariousgenerations.

Thefirstgenerationofcylinderswereintroducedbetween18701880,tostoreliquidcarbondioxideforindustrial
gasbusinesses.Theywerelongsteeltubeswithouthandlesandveryhardtohandle.Lateron,thesecond
generationwasintroducedtobridgesomegapsinthefirstone.Theywerealsomadefromsteel,butwithahandle,
shorterbutwiderandtheshapehasbeenrefined.Thisgenerationofcylinderisthemostpopularandisknownas
thetraditionalcylinder.

ThirdgenerationcylindersimprovedupontypeII,usingplasticforcoatingthemetalexteriorallowingtheexterior
tobecustomised.However,thesecylinderscontinuetohavethesamedrawbacksasGenerationIandII.

GenerationIVcylindersarethelatestonthemarket.Theyweredevelopedwithaerospacetechnologyand
representarealadvanceintechnology,thatotherwisehaseffectivelyremainedunchangedover75years.

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ThereareacoupleofcompanieswhichhavestartedtoworkonLPG
compositecylinders,includingAburiComposites,Londonbased,and
HexagonRagascoinNorway.HyundaihasalsostartedinAsiaandinIndia
therearesomenewfactories.

AccordingtotheGlobalCompositeLPGCylindersIndustry2016Market
ResearchReport(http://www.qyresearch.com/english/goods.php?id=21325
0),themarketofcompositeLPGcylindersisdominatedbyHexagon
RagascoandAburiComposites,botharetheglobalandmajor
manufacturersofcompositecylinders.Followingthereport,Hexagon AburiCompositeLPGcylinders
Ragascohasaproductioncapacitylineof1.600.000andAburiComposites
of1.200.000.Bothcompaniesseemstocompeteabovetherestofmanufacturersandhavethebiggestsizerangein
theworld.

Comparisonwithnaturalgas
LPGiscomposedmainlyofpropaneandbutane,whilenaturalgasiscomposedofthelightermethaneandethane.
LPG,vaporisedandatatmosphericpressure,hasahighercalorificvalue(94MJ/m3equivalentto26.1kWh/m3)
thannaturalgas(methane)(38MJ/m3equivalentto10.6kWh/m3),whichmeansthatLPGcannotsimplybe
substitutedfornaturalgas.Inordertoallowtheuseofthesameburnercontrolsandtoprovideforsimilar
combustioncharacteristics,LPGcanbemixedwithairtoproduceasyntheticnaturalgas(SNG)thatcanbeeasily
substituted.LPG/airmixingratiosaverage60/40,thoughthisiswidelyvariablebasedonthegasesmakingupthe
LPG.ThemethodfordeterminingthemixingratiosisbycalculatingtheWobbeindexofthemix.Gaseshaving
thesameWobbeindexareheldtobeinterchangeable.

LPGbasedSNGisusedinemergencybackupsystemsformanypublic,industrialandmilitaryinstallations,and
manyutilitiesuseLPGpeakshavingplantsintimesofhighdemandtomakeupshortagesinnaturalgassupplied
totheirdistributionssystems.LPGSNGinstallationsarealsousedduringinitialgassystemintroductions,when
thedistributioninfrastructureisinplacebeforegassuppliescanbeconnected.DevelopingmarketsinIndiaand
China(amongothers)useLPGSNGsystemstobuildupcustomerbasespriortoexpandingexistingnaturalgas
systems.

LPGbasedSNGornaturalgaswithlocalizedstorageandpipingdistributionnetworktothehouseholdsfor
cateringtoeachclusterof5000domesticconsumerscanbeplannedunderinitialphaseofcitygasnetworksystem.
ThiswouldeliminatethelastmileLPGcylindersroadtransportwhichisacauseoftrafficandsafetyhurdlesin
Indiancities.TheselocalizednaturalgasnetworksaresuccessfullyoperatinginJapanwithfeasibilitytoget
connectedtowidernetworksinbothvillagesandcities.

Environmentaleffects
CommerciallyavailableLPGiscurrentlyderivedmainlyfromfossilfuels.BurningLPGreleasescarbondioxide,a
greenhousegas.Thereactionalsoproducessomecarbonmonoxide.LPGdoes,however,releaselessCO2perunit
ofenergythandoescoaloroil.Itemits81%oftheCO2perkWhproducedbyoil,70%ofthatofcoal,andless
than50%ofthatemittedbycoalgeneratedelectricitydistributedviathegrid.Beingamixofpropaneandbutane,
LPGemitslesscarbonperjoulethanbutanebutmorecarbonperjoulethanpropane.

LPGburnsmorecleanlythanhighermolecularweighthydrocarbonsbecauseitreleaseslessparticulates.

Fire/explosionriskandmitigation
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Inarefineryorgasplant,LPGmustbestoredinpressurevessels.Thesecontainers
areeithercylindricalandhorizontalorspherical.Typically,thesevesselsare
designedandmanufacturedaccordingtosomecode.IntheUnitedStates,thiscode
isgovernedbytheAmericanSocietyofMechanicalEngineers(ASME).

LPGcontainershavepressurereliefvalves,suchthatwhensubjectedtoexterior
heatingsources,theywillventLPGstotheatmosphereoraflarestack.

Ifatankissubjectedtoafireofsufficientdurationandintensity,itcanundergoa
boilingliquidexpandingvaporexplosion(BLEVE).Thisistypicallyaconcernfor
largerefineriesandpetrochemicalplantsthatmaintainverylargecontainers.In
general,tanksaredesignedthattheproductwillventfasterthanpressurecanbuild
todangerouslevels. Asphericalgascontainer
typicallyfoundinrefineries
Oneremedy,thatisutilizedinindustrialsettings,istoequipsuchcontainerswitha
measuretoprovideafireresistancerating.Large,sphericalLPGcontainersmay
haveuptoa15cmsteelwallthickness.Theyareequippedwithanapprovedpressurereliefvalve.Alargefirein
thevicinityofthevesselwillincreaseitstemperatureandpressure,followingthebasicgaslaws.Thereliefvalve
onthetopisdesignedtoventoffexcesspressureinordertopreventtheruptureofthecontaineritself.Givenafire
ofsufficientdurationandintensity,thepressurebeinggeneratedbytheboilingandexpandinggascanexceedthe
abilityofthevalvetoventtheexcess.Ifthatoccurs,anoverexposedcontainermayruptureviolently,launching
piecesathighvelocity,whilethereleasedproductscanigniteaswell,potentiallycausingcatastrophicdamageto
anythingnearby,includingothercontainers.

PeoplecanbeexposedtoLPGintheworkplacebybreathingitin,skincontact,andeyecontact.TheOccupational
SafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)hassetthelegallimit(Permissibleexposurelimit)forLPGexposurein
theworkplaceas1000ppm(1800mg/m3)overan8hourworkday.TheNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafety
andHealth(NIOSH)hassetarecommendedexposurelimit(REL)of1000ppm(1800mg/m3)overan8hour
workday.Atlevelsof2000ppm,10%ofthelowerexplosivelimit,LPGisconsideredimmediatelydangerousto
lifeandhealth(duesolelytosafetyconsiderationspertainingtoriskofexplosion).[18]

Seealso
Compressednaturalgas(CNG)
Fillingcarousel
Gasolinegallonequivalent
Industrialgas
Intumescent
WorldLPGasAssociation
POLvalve

References
1.Alvi,MoinudDin."AerosolPropellant|AerosolPropellantGas|AerosolSuppliesDubaiBrothersGas".
www.brothersgas.com.Retrieved20160614.
2."PerformanceandSafetyofLPGRefrigerants"(PDF).Archivedfromtheoriginal(PDF)on20150310.
3.ed,ed.byGeorgeE.Totten,(2003).Fuelsandlubricantshandbook:technology,properties,performance,andtesting
(2ndprinting.ed.).WestConshohocken,Pa.:ASTMInternational.ISBN9780803120969.
4.Unipetrol."AnalysisofseasonalmixturesPropanebutaneFuelMixture(Summer,Winter)".Retrieved29April2013.
5."LiquefiedPetroleumGasSpecificationsandTestMethods".GasProcessorsAssociation.Retrieved20120518.

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6."ASTMD183511StandardSpecificationforLiquefiedPetroleum(LP)Gases".AmericanSocietyforTesting&
Materials.
7.49C.F.R.173.315(b)(1)Note2(https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/delivery/getcfr.action?TYPE=TEXT&YEAR=current&TIT
LE=49&PART=173&SECTION=315)
8.HorstBauer,ed.(1996).AutomotiveHandbook(4thed.).Stuttgart:RobertBoschGmbH.pp.238239.ISBN08376
03331.
9."IndianCensus".Censusindia.gov.in.Retrieved30July2009.
10.Zhang,ChunhuaBian,YaozhangSi,LizengLiao,JunzhiOdbileg,N(2005)."Astudyonanelectronicallycontrolled
liquefiedpetroleumgasdieseldualfuelautomobile".ProceedingsoftheInstitutionofMechanicalEngineers,PartD:
JournalofAutomobileEngineering.219(2):207.doi:10.1243/095440705X6470.
11.Qi,DBian,YMa,ZZhang,CLiu,S(2007)."Combustionandexhaustemissioncharacteristicsofacompression
ignitionengineusingliquefiedpetroleumgasfueloilblendedfuel".EnergyConversionandManagement.48(2):500.
doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2006.06.013.
12."EuropeanCommissiononretrofitrefrigerantsforstationaryapplications"(PDF).Retrieved30July2009.
13."U.S.EPAhydrocarbonrefrigerantsFAQ".UnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.Retrieved30July2009.
14."SocietyofAutomotiveEngineershydrocarbonrefrigerantbulletin".Sae.org.27April2005.Retrieved30July2009.
15."NewSouthWales(Australia)Parliamentaryrecord,16October1997".Parliament.nsw.gov.au.16October1997.
Retrieved30July2009.
16."NewSouthWales(Australia)Parliamentaryrecord,29June2000".Parliament.nsw.gov.au.Retrieved30July2009.
17.VASAnewsreportonhydrocarbonrefrigerantdemonstrations(fromtheInternetArchiveretrieved24May2012)(http://
web.archive.org/web/20080719142356/http://www.vasa.org.au/pdf/memberlibrary/hydrocarbons/maclainecross.pdf)
18."CDCNIOSHPocketGuidetoChemicalHazardsL.P.G.".www.cdc.gov.Retrieved20151128.

Externallinks
Propane101(http://www.propane101.com/)ExplainingpropaneandLPGasfundamentals
NIOSHPocketGuidetoChemicalHazards(http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0679.html)Centersfor
DiseaseControlandPrevention

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