Liquefied petroleum gas or LPG as it is commonly named, is a highly combustible mixture of hydrocarbon gases. They are primarily in use in vehicles, stoves and heating equipment. It is also identifiable as butane or propane.

Since its boiling point is below the room temperature, hence they are kept in individual containers that are pressure tight. Since they expand when they turn into gas, a tank is only filled up to eighty percent. LGP has a lot of advantages over other fuel types; this is the reason it has become so much popular.

The advantages of using liquefied petroleum gas are:

1Low Amount of Carbon Dioxide

The number one advantage which sets it apart from others is that it contains a low amount of carbon dioxide in comparison to other fuels. It has made it highly environmentally friendly. A diesel engine releases 40 percent more CO2. Even it is the closest competitor; natural gas releases more than carbon dioxide than LPG.

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2Cooking

LPG is in use throughout the world. It is especially in use in rural areas where the natural gas pipeline cannot reach. It makes fundamentally essential for the economy of the developing countries. Even advanced nations like America has significant use of propane.

It is the reason people in business sell it on a subsidized rate to ordinary people. In some countries, the government has set a meager price for LGP to give the lower class an alternative fuel to use.

Since the cylinder does not take a lot of space, its storage and transport are straightforward. If you compare them to oil, that not only is oil expensive, it tends to produce a lot of order and smoke, which makes it unsuitable for things such as cooking.

The problem with using electric cooker is that the heat and temperature are difficult to control. The blue flame of a propane stove, on the other hand, can be run up and down just by turning a knob. It allows you to cook your food according to your desire.

Moreover, due to the intensity of the blue flame, a person can prepare in a much quicker time than on an electric stove. Whereas an electric cooker can break down if any humidity finds its way inside, a butane cooker will have no such qualms. Come winter or summer, rain or autumn, it will work at any temperature.

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3Refrigeration

LGP is in refrigerators instead of Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) because it has insignificant ozone weakening perspective. Thus it is considered a viable option, as compared to other cooling gases.

There is a specific debate about its potential danger, though, as it is highly combustible. It can be dangerous for radiators which are not rated to store combustible material. A one-piece floating ball valve is always a good option in this regard as it withstands low temperature and adverse conditions. For this, you need to find a good ball valve manufacturer that offers premium quality of these valves.

4Fuel for Automobiles

LGP is becoming increasingly popular with the people as fuel for the car. Though before one can tell use it, the car needs a lot of new parts and modification. Some new fuel injector rods need to be installed apart from the controller and a cylinder in the trunk of the car. The reason people are so interested in using LPG as a fuel for their vehicle is many folds.

• Firstly, propane is quite cheap as compared to other fuel available in the market. If you compare it to the prices of petrol and diesel, you will find that its at least fifty percent more costly, even natural gas in the form of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) tend to be almost the same in price as petrol.
• It has very little knocking in the engine since its octane number is 110. It means that the car travels more smoothly. The engine is free from any residue which is left behind by the fuel.
• Since LPG burns very smoothly, so there's no problem in cold starting it, unlike petrol, even in winters, you will get a quick start, but the engine will run similar to gasoline in performance.
• There are no additives like lead in it, so the inside of the engine stays clean, as the carbon deposits are hardly ever there. It adds to the life of the car engine. Furthermore, you will not require to replace the spark plugs as often as you have to in a petrol engine.
• It is readily available in every town and village, so drivers have no problem in refueling. No matter how far you are from a petrol station, you will be guaranteed to have a fuel tank in the vicinity.
• More importantly, from the safety point of view, if leakage were to happen, LPG will evaporate away quickly, which will mean that the chances of fuel catching fire are low. One thing to keep in observance, though is that LGP is highly combustible.

There is one downside to using LPG in cars. Petrol or diesel driven car has more power than an LPG one. So that means that it consumes more in comparison to liquid fuels. Moreover, the vehicle needs to be cooled more often because of the high reaction temperature, which can compromise the engine valves life a bit. The added weight of the gas cylinder slows down the vehicle a bit.

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5Environmental Friendly

The Liquefied Petroleum Gas that we get is mostly coming from fossil fuels. It means that although the gas does give off carbon dioxide, the contents are much lower. It is the reason we are using it in refrigerators. The greenhouse effect of LGP is limited. Though it tends to release more nitrogen into the atmosphere. Since it burns more cleanly, it has higher molecular hydrocarbon.

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Conclusion:

We can assume that LPG is the gas of the future. Although nowadays much emphasis is on alternative energies like solar and wind power. One thing to keep in mind is that till such day comes that we can entirely rely on solar power for all our needs, LGP will retain its status.