<< Cooking Fuel – LPG & Others >>

Liquefied Petroleum Gases (also called LPG) is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases

used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles, and increasingly replacing
chlorofluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to
the ozone layer, inferring that it is flammable.
Varieties of LPG bought and sold include mixes that are
primarily propane, mixes that are primarily butane, and the
more common, mixes including both propane (60%) and
butane (40%), depending on the season—in winter more
propane, in summer more butane. Propylene and butylenes
are usually also present in small concentration.

A powerful odorant, ethane-thiol, is added so that leaks

can be detected easily. The international standard is EN
589. Thiophene oramyl mercaptan and ethyl mercaptan
are also approved odorants.

LPG is a low carbon emitting hydrocarbon fuel available in

rural areas, emitting 19% less CO2 per kWh than oil, 30%
less than coal and more than 50% less than coal-generated
electricity distributed via the grid. Being a mix of propane
and butane, LPG emits less carbon per joule than butane
but more carbon per joule than propane.
Production and storage
LPG is synthesized by refining petroleum or 'wet' natural gas, and is usually derived
from fossil fuel sources, being manufactured during the refining of crude oil, or
extracted from oil or gas streams as they emerge from the ground. It was first
produced in 1910 by Dr. Walter Snelling, and the first commercial products
appeared in 1912. It currently provides about 3% of the energy consumed, and
burns cleanly with no soot and very few sulfur emissions, posing no ground or water
pollution hazards. LPG has a typical specific calorific value of 46.1 MJ/kg compared
with 42.5 MJ/kg for diesel and 43.5 MJ/kg for premium grade petrol (gasoline).
However, its energy density per volume unit of 26 MJ/l is lower than either that of
petrol or diesel.
At normal temperatures and pressures, LPG will evaporate. Because of this, LPG is
supplied in pressurized steel bottles. In order to allow for thermal expansion of the
contained liquid, these bottles are not filled completely; typically, they are filled to
between 80% and 85% of their capacity. The ratio between the volumes of the
vaporized gas and the liquefied gas varies depending on composition, pressure and
temperature, but is typically around 250:1. The pressure at which LPG becomes
liquid, called its vapour pressure, likewise varies depending on composition and
temperature; for example, it is approximately 220 kilo-pascals (2.2 bar) for pure
butane at 20°C (68°F), and approximately 2.2 mega-pascals (22 bar) for pure
propane at 55°C (131°F). LPG is heavier than air, and thus will flow along floors
and tend to settle in low spots, such as basements. This can cause ignition or
suffocation hazards if not dealt with.
Large amounts of LPG can be stored in bulk tanks and can be buried underground
if required. Alternatively, gas cylinders can be used.

Page 1 of 7 – from [spals@rediffmail.com]

<< Cooking Fuel – LPG & Others >>
Cooking
According to the 2001 Census of India, 17.5% of Indian households or 33.6 million
Indian households used LPG as cooking fuel in 2001. 76.64% of such households
were from urban India making up 48% of urban Indian households as compared to
a usage of 5.7% only in rural Indian households. LPG is subsidized by the
government. Increase in LPG prices has been a politically sensitive matter in India
as it potentially affects the urban middle class voting pattern.

Safety Tips for Domestic LPG Users

When buying your LPG:
• Have the installation of your LPG done by a contractor experienced on these
systems.
• Always buy LPG cylinders from authorized dealers only.
• When the LPG cylinder is delivered to your home, please check to ensure
that the cylinder bears authorized dealers logo.
• Make sure all parts of the installation are in good condition. If you should find
anything wrong with any part, contact your distributor immediately and ask
for assistance.
Are there any hazards in using liquefied petroleum gas?
Liquefied petroleum gas is a flammable gas which has the potential to create a
hazard. Therefore it is important that the properties and safe handling of LPG are
understood and applied in the domestic and commercial/industrial situations.
• Liquefied petroleum gas is stored under pressure. The gas will leak from any
joint or connection which is not sealed properly.
• Liquefied petroleum gas is heavier than air. Any significant leak will move
downwards and stay on the ground. LPG will accumulate in any low-lying
area such as depressions in the ground, drains or pits.
• Since LPG is stored in two phases, liquid and gaseous, there is potential for
either a liquid leak or a gas leak.
• If the Liquefied petroleum gas leak is a gas leak it may not be seen (because
LPG is colourless), except where the leak is of sufficient size to be seen
shimmering in the air.
• When a liquid Liquefied petroleum gas leak occurs, the gas release will be
seen as a patch of ice around the area of the leak, or as a jet of white liquid.
This white appearance is due to the cooling effect created by the rapid
expansion of the LPG liquid into a gas. The condensing atmospheric
moisture makes the leak visible.
• In concentrated amounts and in uncontrolled conditions, Liquefied petroleum
gas has the potential to create a fire or an explosion.
When cooking with LPG:
• Keep windows open to ventilate your kitchen.
• Do not place flammable or plastic items near the flame.
• Turn pan handles away from the flame.
• Never leave your cooking unattended. The sauce or liquid in your cooking
vessel could overflow and extinguish the burners, causing gas to leak.
LPG maintenance
• Periodically examine the color of the flame. A yellow flame indicates poor
combustion. Correct according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Make sure that there is adequate air for combustion.

Page 2 of 7 – from [spals@rediffmail.com]

<< Cooking Fuel – LPG & Others >>
• Always keep the LPG valve / regulator switched off when your gas stove /
oven is not in use, especially at night and when going on a holiday.
• Always store the LPG cylinder in an upright position and away from other
combustible and flammable materials. Store no more than one spare LPG
cylinder at any given time.
How can I reduce my consumption of LPG?
There are a number ways in which you can greatly reduce LPG consumption and
thus help the overall conservation of LPG:
• When you are cooking, first keep all your ingredients ready before lighting
the burner. This will help you to lower LPG consumption.
• Save LPG by covering all vessels that you place on the burner. Covered
vessels cook faster and retain the flavors of the food, while conserving LPG
at the same time.
• If there is a break in cooking, turn the LPG off and then relight the burner to
begin cooking again. Over time, this can result in a significant reduction in
the usage of LPG.
• Use same-sized vessels and burners. For example, use a small burner for a
small vessel. This will help to reduce the volume of LPG used.
• Avoid wasting LPG by re-heating food.
• Reduce the quantity of liquid used. The more the liquid content, the more
LPG required to cook it.
In case of Gas Leak
• Use your eyes and your nose when detecting a leak in your LPG. Check for
gas leaks regularly by applying soap solution on cylinder joints and look for
bubbles. The appearance of soap bubbles indicates leak points. Do not look
for a leak with a lighted candle, match or other open light.
• Turn off the LPG at tank and vacate the premises once leak is detected.
• If possible turn off the appliance.
• Turn off or remove any other source of ignition.
• Ventilate the room by opening doors and windows.
• Leave the house or apartment, and advise your neighbours.
• If you think that there is a danger of a fire, call the Fire Service.
• Call your LPG contractor or an experienced repairman to fix the leaks and
other problems before using your LPG again.
• Always replace worn-out or defective tubing and regulators. Half of all gas-
related cooking accidents occur due to leakages from the rubber tube.
Change the tubing every two years and the regulator every five years. Use
proper & certified regulators and tubes.
• Never tamper with your LPG cylinder.
How can I use LPG safely?
You can use LPG safely if you apply simple safety rules.
• Choose an LPG supplier who can provide you with well-maintained LPG
cylinders, and after-sales support.
• Always close the cylinder or tanks valves after use.
• Use a child-safe regulator on the LPG cylinder for domestic use.
• Ensure that your LPG supplier provides a supply of LPG that is odorised to
allow you to smell any leaking LPG.
• Always use LPG appliances, and other gas equipment that is approved for
use, and meets all local safety standards.

Page 3 of 7 – from [spals@rediffmail.com]

<< Cooking Fuel – LPG & Others >>
• Check for gas leaks on a regular basis.
• Always use LPG rubber tubes that have an ISI mark.
• Always close the LPG cylinder or tanks valves after use.
• Never check for gas leaks using a lit match. Always use a solution of soapy
water and look for bubbles coming from around valves and pipe joints. These
bubbles indicate a gas leak.
• Replace the LPG cylinder hose on a regular basis, and replace any
damaged or worn hose with a new hose.
• Stand the cylinder upright and make sure that any hose connection between
the cylinder and the appliance does not come into contact with or near the
gas burner.

Gas Bank
Gas Bank is designed to connect numbers of cylinders to one common delivery
line. Depending upon the process, duty and stand-by manifolds are used. To
ensure safe handling, the gas accessories are considered in the design.
Cylinders can be connected or taken out even when the system is in use. Non
return valves are provided for each individual cylinder so as to ensure gas from a
cylinder travels to process line instead balancing the pressure into coupled
cylinders. Apart it also ensure safety in case of pigtail (branch) failure. Flame
arrestor works as a safety device. High pressure ISI marked flexible pigtails and
click on adaptors forms the cylinder-manifold link. Primary and Secondary marked
flexible pigtails and click on adaptors forms the cylinder-manifold link. Primary and
Secondary Pressure Regulators are provided to set the operating pressure.
Necessary gauges are meant for indications. The Gas Bank and Its piping should
be installed as per the local Governments safety standards.

Gas Bank

What is Reticulated Piping?

Reticulated system is supplying LPG through pipeline network from a centralized
cylinder bank or bulk installation to the customer's kitchen. The system is designed
through multiple pressure regulation stages to reach LPG to the users at low
pressure to make it safer.

Page 4 of 7 – from [spals@rediffmail.com]

<< Cooking Fuel – LPG & Others >>
Advantages of Reticulated Piped Gas System
Convenient
• It provides continuous supply of gas at the turn of tap.
• Eliminates cylinder refill booking.
• No need for cylinder handling and possible damage of the floor/ lift.
• Payment can be made on Post Pay basis.
• Since there are no cylinders that need to be replaced, there is no risk of
accidents while replacing cylinders
• In the unfortunate event of a cylinder explosion, there is a serious risk to
family members. This risk is considerably reduced since there are no
cylinders present inside the house.

Safe
• Easy and effortless operation with increased convenience.
• Increased safety in the kitchen.
• A number of safety gadgets are
installed in the system that
ensures complete peace of
mind.
• In case of a leakage, safety
gadgets will shut down the
system to prevent any
accidents.

Economical
• Valuable space saving in the kitchen.
• Payment as per actual consumption of gas through gas meters.
• At the time of replacing a cylinder, there is some amount of gas that is
present in the exhausted cylinder called “Residual Gas.” However, the
customer still has to pay for this unused gas. In the case of Reticulated

Page 5 of 7 – from [spals@rediffmail.com]

<< Cooking Fuel – LPG & Others >>
Piped Gas System, the user pays as per the meter reading only – NOT A
DROP EXTRA!
• A user has to first pay for a cylinder and then uses the gas unlike the Piped
Gas System, which is a post-paid system and the billing is done only after
consumption.
• Saving of time and no need to block money for 2nd cylinder.

Bunsen Burner & its Principle

The Bunsen design succeeded in generating a hot, soot less, non-luminous flame
by mixing the gas with air in a controlled fashion before combustion.
The amount of air (or rather
oxygen) mixed with the gas
stream affects the completeness
of the combustion reaction. Less
air yields an incomplete and thus
cooler reaction, while a gas
stream well mixed with air
provides oxygen in an equimolar
amount and thus a complete and
hotter reaction.

The air flow can be controlled by opening or closing the slot openings at the base of
the barrel.

High Pressure Burner & Low Pressure Burner

This is easy to figure out quantity of gas that is present in the full tank and the
BTU/hr demand of the burner or other gas appliance.
One pound of liquid gas in the tank has 21,591 BTU/hr fuel value.
If the tank contains 20 pound of LPG and if the Burner is a Low Pressure one, for
example, that is rated at 40,000 BTU/hr maximum output then it would run that
burner at full blast for 10.8 hours :
(20lb x 21,591BTU/lb = 431,820 BTU is the gas in a 20lb tank, 431,820 BTU ÷
40,000 BTU/hr = 10.8 hrs).
On the other hand if we have a high heat, high pressure burner that is rated at
160,000 BTU/hr maximum output we can run that burner at full blast for only 2.7
hours. In practice, it is unusual for anyone to run a burner at full throttle for that
long so we will probably not empty the tank this quickly. The point is that if we want
to develop the heat in an uninterrupted manner we have to plan for adequate
propane tank reserves. Experienced chefs keep a spare propane tank around.
These figures are theoretical. According to some of major 20 pound propane tank
producers, the 20 pound propane tank will only contain about 4.1 gallons of liquid
propane which weighs just 17 pounds. The empty propane tank weighs about 20
pounds so if we add the 17 pounds of gas we have a full propane tank weighing
around 37 pounds.

Page 6 of 7 – from [spals@rediffmail.com]

<< Cooking Fuel – LPG & Others >>

What is a BTU ?
BTU is the unit of heat in FPS System.
A BTU, or British Thermal Unit, is the amount of energy required to raise the
temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
A gallon of liquid propane contains 91,502 BTU's. A pound of liquid propane
contains 21,591 BTU's.

What is a Calorie ?
Calorie is the unit of heat in CGS System.
A Calorie is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one Litre of
water by one degree Centigrade.

Difference between heat and temperature

There is a distinct difference between the Heat & Temperature. Temperature is a
measure of the amount of energy possessed by the molecules of a substance. It
manifests itself as a degree of hotness, and can be used to predict the direction of
heat transfer. The usual symbol for temperature is T. The scales for measuring
temperature in SI units are the Celsius and Kelvin temperature scales. Heat, on
the other hand, is energy in transit. Spontaneously, heat flows from a hotter body to
a colder one. The usual symbol for heat is Q. In the SI system, common units for
measuring heat are the Joule and calorie.

Modes of Heat Transfer

Conduction
An energy transfer across a system boundary due to a temperature difference by
the mechanism of intermolecular interactions. Conduction needs matter and does
not require any bulk motion of matter.
Examples : Transfer of Heat from Burner flame to Pan
Examples of Good Conductor of Heat : Copper, Iron, Aluminum etc.
Examples of Bad Conductor of Heat : Wood, Paper, Air etc.
Convection
An energy transfer across a system boundary due to a temperature difference by
the combined mechanisms of intermolecular interactions and bulk transport.
Convection needs fluid matter.
Examples : Boiling water, Cooling inside Air Conditioned Room etc.
Radiation
Radiation heat transfer involves the transfer of heat by electromagnetic radiation
that arises due to the temperature of the body. Radiation does not need matter.
Examples : Transfer of Heat from Sun to Earth, Cooking in the Salamandar etc.

Page 7 of 7 – from [spals@rediffmail.com]