Propane itself is a three-carbon alkane. It normally comes in a gas form, but it can be compressed into a transportable liquid. It is made up of other petroleum products during the processing of oil or natural gas. When it is being used to fuel a vehicle, it is typically known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG or LP-gas). This is often a mixture of propane and small amounts of butane, butylenes, and propylene. The gas is odourless and ethanethiol or thiophene is usually added to it so people can smell it in case of a leak. The gas is extremely flammable and can be very dangerous when leaking. These odorants give it a distinct odour which is easy to detect.
In North America, refuelling stations are serviced by local delivery trucks that can hold about 3,000 gallons of propane and they fill up large tanks at the service stations. Large tractor-trailers that can hold about 10,000 gallons are used to deliver propane from the refinery to the local delivery outlet. While in many part of the world, propane is delivered to in individual tanks. Non-industrialized regions of the world are starting to use propane more now as it is a good alternative to wood and other types of traditional fuel sources. However, propane outside of North America differs slightly as it is a combination of propane and butane. In some areas, the ratio is 50 per cent of each and can sometimes be as high as 75 per cent butane.
The use of propane to fuel automobiles is growing all of the time in North America, as there are an estimated 200,000 vehicles on the road in the U.S. alone. In fact, propane is already the third most popular vehicle fuel in America. Gasoline and diesel are one and two. Propane is generally known as autogas in other areas of the world and it is estimated that there are over 13 million vehicles that are using it as a fuel.
One of the benefits of propane is that it can be refilled quickly and the fuel tank construction can be done at a relatively low price. It costs slightly less to buy than gasoline and is also a cleaner fuel when it comes to combustion and handling. This means it causes less engine wear without diluting engine oil. Therefore, you do not have to add or change your oil as often. It is also hard for criminals to siphon propane out of a vehicle the way they can with conventional gasoline. Look for propane to remain as one of the most popular vehicle fuels in the world. It seems that its usage will only keep growing in the years to come.