Propane: Do You Know These 9 Interesting Facts?
You probably already know that propane one of the cleanest, greenest fuels around –a versatile source of home energy that’s able to power everything from your outdoor grill to your indoor fireplace without breaking a sweat.
Testing Your Propane Knowledge
But how well do you really know propane? Here are nine interesting tidbits about C3H8 – better known to us non-scientists as propane gas:
- Propane was initially discovered dissolved in Pennsylvania by Edmund Ronalds in 1864, but its success as a commercial fuel was secured thanks to Dr. Walter O. Snelling – a safety and explosives expert for the U.S. Bureau of Mines.
- Propane is a by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining (mostly the former, at least in the U.S.).
- In its natural state, propane is colorless and odorless; an odorant (usually ethyl mercaptan, which smells like rotten eggs) is added to make leaks easier to detect.
- Propane is 270 times more compact as a liquid than as a gas – which is why it is stored and transported as a liquid.
- Propane won’t ignite when combined with air until the source of ignition reaches 940 degrees Fahrenheit – which is why it’s safe to transport in tanks.
- Propane is so clean burning that it is not considered a greenhouse gas.
- Propane is the only alternative fuel listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act and the National Energy Policy Act of 1992.
- The propane fuel you buy is not 100 percent propane gas; it’s about 90 percent propane plus odorant, propylene, and about 9 percent butane.
- Nearly 90 percent of the U.S. propane supply is produced domestically; almost three-quarters of the remaining 10 percent is produced in Canada or Mexico.
Propane – discover its many uses and benefits for your home or farm! Contact Pico Propane today to learn more about our reliable propane delivery and propane equipment installation services for your Caswell County, NC home.
