Propane is not dangerous to the environment. Propane is an approved, clean fuel listed in the 1990 Clear Air Act and the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Propane is one of the cleanest burning of all fossil fuels. Tests conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency show that propane-fueled vehicles produce 30 percent to 90 percent less carbon monoxide and about 50 percent fewer toxins and other smog-producing emissions than gasoline engines.
A new PERC (Propane Education & Research Council) study shows propane reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Twenty pound cylinders, most barbecue size cylinders, are manufactured with an Overfilling Prevention Device (OPD) that shuts off the filling process when the tank reaches 80 percent of its liquid capacity. This allows for changes in fuel volume caused by temperature variations without any release of gas from the tank.
More than 670,000 forklift trucks in the United States are powered by clean-burning propane. Millions more choose propane fuel for bus, taxi, and other fleets to minimize air pollution in metropolitan areas.
Propane has a narrow range of flammability when compared with other petroleum products, in order to ignite, the propane/air mix must contain from 2.2 to 9.6 percent propane vapor. If the mixture contains less than 2.2 percent gas, it is too lean to burn. If it contains more than 9.6 percent, it is too rich to burn. Propane won’t ignite when combined with air unless the source of ignition reaches at least 920 degrees Fahrenheit. In contrast, gasoline will ignite when the source of ignition reaches only 430 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Source: National Propane Gas Association/Propane Education & Research Council (2003) & The Western Propane Gas Association
