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Propane (C3H8)
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Additional Info
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Features
- Heavier than air - collects in low-lying areas such as drains or ducts
- BOC propane is stenched to give a fish-like odour
- Supplied as a liquid in cylinders or bulk tanks
- Available as a vapour or liquid withdrawal from cylinders
- Has the lowest flammability range of any of the commonly available fuels
- Non-toxic - can cause dizziness at high concentrations
- Propane is heavier than air and will collect in low-lying areas
- Highly combustible, having explosive limits in air between 2.2% to 9.5% by volume
Benefits
- On a profile-cutting machine, oxy-propane gives fast, clean cuts on thick plate
- Easily combustible, portable with clean burning characteristics and a high calorific value
Applications and Uses
- Used in oxy-propane cutting and brazing. Often used as an alternative to acetylene for applications when high cutting speeds and efficiencies are not required
- Widely used for preheating components
- Shrink-wrap applications
- Space heating
- Used in the agricultural industry for drying crops, heating greenhouses and livestock sheds, flame-weeding and pest control
- Used a duel-fuel option on cars. Propane is often referred to as Autogas and is dispensed from bulk tanks usually situated at petrol stations
- Space heating
- Soldering
- Heat treatment
- Used as a fuel in fork-lift trucks and other industrial vehicles
- Used as a petrochemical to form polymers
Material Compatibility
- Propane has some solvent properties and therefore hoses and should be of the correct material as shown by the correct colour orange. Only use purpose-manufactured equipment with propane and always use correct lighting up procedures. You will require separate regulator, flashback arrestors, hoses, nozzles and torches when using propane.
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Please Note:
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An associated fire and explosion hazard
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When cutting mild steel, acetylene will heat the material quicker than propane and enable a faster start to the cutting process but the speed of cut itself is very similar to acetylene
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Propane is a safe gas when used correctly. The most frequent cause of accidents is leakage through poor connections
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