PROPANE Introduction:

PROPANE, or liquefied petroleum gas (LP-gas), is one of the nation’s most versatile sources of energy. Propane is called a fossil fuel because it is composed of the remains of plants and animals that inhabitated the Earth million years ago.

PROPANE can be either a liquid or a gas. At normal atmospheric pressure and temperature, it is a non-toxic, colourless and odourless gas. Just like natural gas, an identifying odour is added so it can be readily detected. Under moderate pressure, propane becomes a liquid that vapourises into a clean- burning gas when released
from its storage container. Propane is 270 times more compact as a liquid than gas, making it economical to store and transport as a liquid.

An overview by Mr. Jayant Bhattacharjee, M.B.A., Former Regional Marketing Incharge, Gas Authority of India Ltd, Mumbai. Member of "Team-Propane", who launched Propane Gas in India.]

1 (a) What is PROPANE

IN the world of energy the option to choose and upgrade is immense. One can change from solid fuel (say, firewood or coal) to electricity, to liquid fuel (say, Furnace Oil or LDO), to gaseous fuel (say, Natural Gas or LPG). With each upgrade the benefits in terms of thermal efficiency, flame control or heat content is there. The ultimate objective is to derive the maximum calories in a cost effective and efficient way and not polluting the environment. There is, ofcourse, constraints in availability of Natural Gas at all places and hence there was always the necessity of an alternative gaseous fuel. To cater to the consumers where Natural Gas cannot be supplied, GAS AUTHORITY OF INDIA LIMITED (GAIL) in 1993-94 introduced PROPANE GAS, for the first time in India, from its gas fractionation plant at Vijaipur (MP). GAIL today has Propane producing facilities at Vijaipur and proposes to produce elsewhere too in its gas processing units (Auriya-UP; Gandhar-Gujarat).

1 (b) Interesting Facts About Propane

DID YOU KNOW ?

1. PROPANE is nature’s most versatile fuel. Propane is clean burning, efficient, portable and economical.
   It is a fuel suitable for appliances in home, farms, businesses and industries.
2. PROPANE is a liquefied petroleum gas, not a manufactured gas 
3. PROPANE, as a liquid, is stored under moderate pressure in tanks for convenience and portability.
   When the pressure is released, the liquid converts to a flammable gas at a ratio of 1:270.
4. PROPANE is transported in tank-trucks to any location, at any time  [GIRI ENERGY specialises in this] 
5. PROPANE is a colourless, odourless gas to which an odour (merceptan) is added to help detect a leak 
6. Liquid PROPANE boils (vapourises from liquid to vapour) at –44 OF
7. When the temperature of PROPANE in a tank rises, the vapour pressure also rises.
8. PROPANE gas (vapour) is 1½ times the weight of air, but will settle in low areas. As a liquid, PROPANE
   is ½ the weight of water 
9. 200 cubic feet of air is required to burn 450 grams of PROPANE liquid 
10. Complete combustion of PROPANE produces water vapour and carbon dioxide 
11. In India, PROPANE is also being used to produce captive power by a leading house in the hospitality industry for its unit located in a power-deficit state [GIRI ENERGY is proud to service this customer]
12. President Pervez Musharaff of Pakistan during his famous Summit meet at Agra in 2001 stayed in a
    hotel where the electricity is generated by Propane as well as the food is cooked with Propane Gas.

1 (c) Propane Specifications and Composition

Propane Specifications:

Typical Composition (Fractionator):

1 (d) Propane and Environment

PRESERVING OUR ENVIRONMENT 

By using Propane gas in place of less environmentally friendly fuels, one can address such pressing issues as acid rain, “greenhouse effect”, urban smog, and the thinning of the ozone layer in a tangible way.

With Propane’s simple molecular composition, Propane-fueled vehicles emit significantly lower levels of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides than gasoline-fueled vehicles. The level of air toxics emissions from Propane-fueled vehicles is also low.

Propane also plays a key role in the on-going effort to preserve our environment by conserving energy. When electricity is produced by burning coal, only 35% of the million tons of coal burned annually to generate electricity is converted to electricity. More energy, about 5%, is wasted in its distribution. More usage of Propane in place of electricity eliminates such wastage. Moreover, Propane heating equipments are designed to operate efficiently; some equipment can be as high as 96% efficient, which means for every Rupee one spends, one gets ninety-six paisa worth of heat. Propane usage can thereby help in conservation of other precious resources. In addition, burning coal to generate electricity releases millions of tons of carbon monoxide and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, or for that matter fuel oil emits 17% more carbon dioxide than gas.

By using Propane one not only uses a clean and efficient fuel, one reduces emission levels and helps preserve our environment for future generations.