Department of chemistry

Chemistry for engineering students-CHEMI143

A Mini research paper on propane compound

Course Instructor: Dr. Jack Mustaklem

Prepared by : Leen Qadi

ID :1160259

Second semester 2020

Propane

Propane is a fossil fuel and a component of natural gas. Over millions of years it formed from the
organic remains of organisms and is mined from underground deposits.

Propane is a chemical compound that is made of three carbon (C) atoms and eight hydrogen (H)
atoms, so its chemical formula is C3H8. It's classified as an alkane, which are compounds that consist
only of hydrogen and carbon atoms with single bonds.

Where propane does comes from?

Propane is a fossil fuel that does not occur in isolation. Propane is found naturally in combination
with other hydrocarbons.

Propane then comes from natural gas processing and crude oil refinery processes. It is isolated,
liquefied through pressurisation and stored in pressure vessels for easy storage, shipping and
distribution.

How is Propane made?

Propane is made during natural gas processing and oil refining. It is separated from the unprocessed
natural gas using refrigeration. Propane is extracted from heated crude oil using a distillation tower.
It is then pressurisation and stored as a liquid in cylinders and tanks.

Properties

Propane is a nontoxic and flammable substance, and in its natural state, is an odorless and colorless
gas. When we grill outside, we would often smell propane, and this is only because a commercial
odorant has been added to propane for safety so that we can easily detect when there is leakage.

Even though propane is normally in a gaseous state, with the appropriate amount of pressure,
propane can be liquefied. Propane is stored and transported in liquid form, and it only becomes a
gas when it is released from the container.

The propane boiling point is −44 degrees Fahrenheit (−42 degrees Celsius) and the melting of −306
degrees Fahrenheit (−189 degrees Celsius). The specific gravity is the comparison of density
between an object and a reference substance. The specific gravity of propane gas is 1.52 compared
to air, so it's actually denser than air. The specific gravity of propane liquid compared to water is
0.51. This means that propane is less dense than water, so it will not sink in water.

Who Uses Propane and for What Purposes?

The hospitality industry – hotels, restaurants, etc. – use propane for heating, cooking and hot water.
A chicken farmers uses propane to keep the chicks warm. A farmer uses of propane include flame
weeding, crop drying and irrigation pumps. Auto body repair shops use propane for the oven to cure
painted cars. Refrigeration manufacturers use propane for a refrigerant gas. Many companies use
propane to fuel boilers for a multitude of purposes. And the list for uses of propane just goes on and
on.

What is Propane Used for - Common Uses of Propane?

Propane uses in everyday life include home heating, cooking, hot water heaters, gas fireplaces and
clothes drying. Home everyday outdoor life uses include patio heaters, pool heaters, backup
generators, and as BBQ fuel.

Propane does get used in leisure time activities including caravans, boats, recreational vehicles, hot
air balloons and camping. Propane is also used for fuel for many commercial and agricultural heat
applications, including commercial boilers.

Business and industry use propane for a multitude of processes including steam boilers, kilns, ovens
and forklifts. Crop and produce drying, heating greenhouses, hot water for dairies, irrigation pumps
and heating animal enclosures are just some of the agricultural applications for propane. Transport
is also a big user of propane, either alone or mixed with butane, to power various vehicle types.

Why is Propane Used as a Fuel?

Propane is used as a fuel because of its portability and high energy density. In addition, it only
requires modest pressure for liquefaction maintaining a practical vessel weight. So, propane is used
as a fuel for transportation and in areas without natural gas reticulation.

Advantages and disadvantages

Supply wise, Propane is plentiful in supply but limited in its potential because it is a byproduct of
petroleum refining. Its supply and availability is closely tied to the supply and availability of
petroleum. While petroleum is widely available as a source of fuel, so is propane. However, where
(or when) petroleum is in short supply, propane cannot be relied upon to be a suitable alternative
fuel.

Price wise, a major advantage of using propane fuel is that it is relatively cost effective. For the
money paid, it produces many more units of energy than many other fuel sources. It is an efficient-
burning fuel. This means that the initial outlay to provide the equipment for propane burning pays
for itself more quickly once the cheap price of the actual fuel is taken into account.

Safety wise, Propane is quite a safe energy source, but it does have risks. It is combustible, and as
with any flammable gas a leak can be potentially devastating. It is heavier than air, so any propane
leak in an enclosed area will sink and become concentrated at the floor level, where it may avoid
detection. Also, propane is stored under high pressure, making any sudden decompression or
rupture of its container an event of violent force.

Environment wise, a major advantage of using propane gas as fuel is that compared to many other
fuel sources it is environmentally friendly.

References:

-Advantages and disadvantages of using propane By Helen Fitzgerald

- Study.com / Propane formula, properties and uses chapter 17 lesson15

- Britannica.com /propane by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

-sceintising.com/propane by By A.P. Mentzer

- PubChem website/propane