7.1 Potential of LPG ......................................................................................... 203
7.2 LPG Production.......................................................................................... 204
7.2.1 Natural Gas and Oil Extraction ................................................... 204
7.2.2 Crude Oil Refining ........................................................................ 204
7.3 Properties of LPG....................................................................................... 205
7.4 LPG Modeling Studies .............................................................................. 207
7.5 Engine Tests ................................................................................................ 208
7.5.1 LPG Conversion Systems.............................................................. 208
7.5.2 LPG in Gasoline Engine Applications ........................................ 211
7.5.3 LPG in Diesel Engine Applications............................................. 213
7.6 LPG Material Compatibility..................................................................... 221
7.7 LPG Economics ..........................................................................................222
7.8 LPG Safety Aspects ...................................................................................223
7.9 LPG Merits and Demerits .........................................................................225
References............................................................................................................. 226
7
Liquefied Petroleum Gas
Mohamed Younes El-Saghir Selim
CONTENTS
7.1 Potential of LPG
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a mixture of propane (C 3 H 8 ) and butane
(C 4 H 10 ) gas, is a popular fuel for internal combustion engines. This popularity comes from many features of the fuel such as its high octane number
for spark ignited engines, comparable to gasoline heating value that ensures
similar power output. Other features include the possibility of transport
and storage of LPG in liquid state because of relatively low pressure of saturated vapor in normal temperature range, better exhaust gas composition,
and lower cost per energy unit in comparison with gasoline.
The last feature is a reason of rapidly growing popularity of gas fuel in
the world. The above mentioned features of LPG also give the possibility
to applying this fuel to compression ignition engines with relatively lowcompression ratio as the heating value of stoichiometric mixture of diesel
oil and air is similar to the heating value of LPG–air mixture and it gives
203
7.2 LPG Production.......................................................................................... 204
7.2.1 Natural Gas and Oil Extraction ................................................... 204
7.2.2 Crude Oil Refining ........................................................................ 204
7.3 Properties of LPG....................................................................................... 205
7.4 LPG Modeling Studies .............................................................................. 207
7.5 Engine Tests ................................................................................................ 208
7.5.1 LPG Conversion Systems.............................................................. 208
7.5.2 LPG in Gasoline Engine Applications ........................................ 211
7.5.3 LPG in Diesel Engine Applications............................................. 213
7.6 LPG Material Compatibility..................................................................... 221
7.7 LPG Economics ..........................................................................................222
7.8 LPG Safety Aspects ...................................................................................223
7.9 LPG Merits and Demerits .........................................................................225
References............................................................................................................. 226
7
Liquefied Petroleum Gas
Mohamed Younes El-Saghir Selim
CONTENTS
7.1 Potential of LPG
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a mixture of propane (C 3 H 8 ) and butane
(C 4 H 10 ) gas, is a popular fuel for internal combustion engines. This popularity comes from many features of the fuel such as its high octane number
for spark ignited engines, comparable to gasoline heating value that ensures
similar power output. Other features include the possibility of transport
and storage of LPG in liquid state because of relatively low pressure of saturated vapor in normal temperature range, better exhaust gas composition,
and lower cost per energy unit in comparison with gasoline.
The last feature is a reason of rapidly growing popularity of gas fuel in
the world. The above mentioned features of LPG also give the possibility
to applying this fuel to compression ignition engines with relatively lowcompression ratio as the heating value of stoichiometric mixture of diesel
oil and air is similar to the heating value of LPG–air mixture and it gives
203