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Propane is used both commercially and domestically as an alternative source of energy. You may even use it to power several appliances; however, have you ever wondered exactly what propane is?

Propane is an artificially created gas made from refined crude oil and natural gas—chemists refer to it as a three-carbon alkaline. It is a gas under natural conditions; however, it can be pressurized into liquid form to make it easy to transport and store.

Where propane comes from

Propane can come from either natural gas or petroleum. When natural gas is processed, propane is removed, and when petroleum is converted to gasoline, propane remains a byproduct.

Discovery of Propane

Propane was first discovered in 1857 by Marcellin Berthelot in France and then discovered again in 1864 by Edmund Ronalds in the US from light crude oil. However, the propane industry grew in 1910 when Walter O. Snelling lobbied for it as an alternative source of household energy. In 1912 the New York Times wrote an expose on propane’s benefits, and it spread to become what it is now.

Benefits of Propane

Efficient source of fuel

When compared to natural gas, propane produces higher energy/heat per BTU. Thus, it will sustain your house and heat it quickly while burning less energy.

Artificially made

It is made artificially from petroleum and natural gas and does not have to be mined. Because of this, a lot of hours are saved from its production. Additionally, because it is manmade, it can be altered and tweaked in several ways.

Easily transported

Because it can be pressurized into liquid, propane can then be stored and move from place to place.

Friendly to the environment

Propane is so clean that it does not contaminate groundwater if it spills. It burns clean, and it is not toxic. This makes it particularly friendly to the environment.

High burning temperature

The fact that propane will only burn at very high temperatures makes it a safe fuel. This means that it will be tough for it to cause accidents since those high temperatures are not easily reached, even by a house fire.

Uses of Propane

As we have mentioned, propane is an alternative source of fuel that is very efficient. Here are some of its uses.

Propane is used in manufacturing

Since propane is a good source of energy, you will find manufacturing industries using it to power their generators and machinery. It is also used in the manufacture of plastics and used as a refrigerant.

Propane is used in Agriculture

Propane is also valuable for the agriculture industry, especially regarding irrigation pumps, crop drying, and flame weeding. For instance, crop drying equipment such as soybean dryers or hay dryers is powered by propane gas.

Propane is used in households

It is used to power household appliances from clothes dryers to stoves and grills. It can also be used to power generators that serve as energy for the entire household.

You can contact us to learn more about what propane is, how it can be used, and more.