What is Propane?
Propane is a hydrocarbon, and along with other liquefied petroleum gasses, is a component of both natural gas and crude oil. It is obtained through the refining of crude oil or the processing of natural gas.
Propane is normally transported and stored as a liquid in specially designed containers. It is important that only those containers approved and prepared for use with propane be used to store and transport propane.
When you buy propane, it comes in a liquid state in the tank. When liquid propane changes from a liquid to a gas, it will increase in volume approximately 270 times. The liquid boils and changes to a vapor. This is what you use in your home. Propane vapor is heavier than air (about 1 1/2 times), yet it still mixes with air quite rapidly.
Propane burns and gives off a relatively large amount of heat, about 92,000 BTU's per gallon of propane.
Propane in its natural state is both colorless and odorless. For this reasons and because propane is flammable, a chemical malodorant with a distinctive smell is added to provide a method of detection in the event of a leak.