LPG

LP gas (propane gas) is a highly flammable gas.

Ethyl Mercaptan is used as the odourant which allows the LPG vapour to be smelt.

It results in a slight smell similar to rotten cabbages so as to alert one of leaks at a level way below its Lower Explosive Limit (LEL).

The lower & upper levels are tabled below & explain why LPG is so dangerous since the range is quite low being only 1.7% to 10.9%

Table 1.

Colourless and odourless and an asphyxiante so particular care needs to be taken with this gas.

This naturally means a room with a few percent  of LPG together with an ignition source would be an extremely dangerous situation to enter.

Ethyl mercaptan is added to LPG as an an odourant so that generally it can be smelt if leaking. The smell is however subtle & often not immediately detected by users of the gas.

Most users of the  gas describe the smell as smelling like either rotten eggs or rotten cabbage.

At a density of 1.9 kg/m3 (1.58 relative to air at normal atmospheric conditions) it is markedly denser than air so it is potentially extremely dangerous in low points and this aspect has resulted in some spectacular incidents in still cold air.

Applications

A clean burning fuel for,

• Automobiles & fork lifts
• Grillers and stoves
• BBQs stationary & portable
• Heating