| LPG stands for Liquefied Petroleum Gas. It is a | | | | pressures. Therefore, it is supplied in pressurised |
| mixture of hydrocarbon gases that are used as a fuel | | | | bottles of steel. These bottles are not completely |
| in heating devices and vehicles. Liquefied petroleum | | | | filled so to allow thermal expansion of LPG. Normally |
| gas is a clean-burning fossil fuel that maybe used to | | | | they are filled between 80% to 85% of their |
| power internal combustion engines. LPG-fueled | | | | capacity. Large amounts of LPG may be stored in |
| vehicles are environment friendly, as they produce | | | | bulk tanks and can be buried underground if need be. |
| fewer toxic and smog-forming air pollutants. LPG is | | | | On the other hand, gas cylinders can also be used. |
| usually less expensive than gasoline. | | | | LPG burns cleanly with no soot and minute sulfur |
| It consists of hydrocarbons in a vapour state instead | | | | emissions thereby posing no pollution hazards. |
| of liquids, at normal temperatures and pressures. | | | | Liquefied Petroleum Gas is heavier than air, and tends |
| However, at moderate pressures it turns into liquid. | | | | to flow along floors and settles in low altitude spots. |
| The main constituent of LPG is propane. LPG is | | | | This can cause suffocation and ignition hazards if not |
| increasingly replacing chlorofluorocarbons as aerosol | | | | taken care of. |
| propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to the | | | | LPG is widely available. It is the best alternative for |
| ozone layer. | | | | other fuels. Liquefied Petroleum Gas is much safer to |
| The incineration of the liquefied petroleum gas | | | | use than gasoline. The tanks in which it is filled are |
| produces Carbon Dioxide (CO²) and a water | | | | immune to the usual casual fires, which occur |
| vapour. Therefore, the presence of sufficient air is | | | | because of leakage of fuel. It is also cheaper than |
| very important. If the air would not be present, it | | | | gasoline at most places, if we compare the price of a |
| would result in the production of a very harmful gas | | | | gallon of gasoline with the price of a little larger |
| Carbon Monoxide (CO). | | | | volume of LPG needed to drive the same distance. |
| LPG is produced by refining petroleum and is mainly | | | | LPG enters the engine in the form of vapours. It |
| obtained from fossil fuel sources. It is synthesised | | | | does not wash oil off the walls of cylinders neither |
| during the refining of crude oil, or extracted from oil | | | | does it dilute the oil when the engine is cold. It does |
| and gas streams when they materialise from the | | | | not contaminate the oil with carbon particles and |
| ground. Currently, it provides 3% of the consumed | | | | sulfuric acid. As a result, the engine running on LPG |
| energy. LPG has a specific calorific value of 46.1 MJ | | | | has a longer life and its maintenance cost is low. |
| Kg as compared to 42.5 MJ/Kg for diesel and 43.5 MJ | | | | Although it is an alternative for other fuels, but still it |
| Kg for gasoline. | | | | is obtained from petroleum, thus if there is shortage |
| LPG evaporates at normal temperatures and | | | | of petroleum there would be shortage of LPG too. |