Butane vs Propane

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hurleyjd

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I feel for sure that Caustic can answer my question. Years back nearly longer than can remember butane would freeze in the winter and propane would not. Why?.
 
Propane has a freezing point of -200 or something ridiculous.
BUT when temp drops below - 44 propane tanks drop in pressure and then not
enough vapor reaches the furnace ignition switch.
So technically not frozen, but not working either due to low temp.

I don't know anything about butane, maybe it has a higher freezing point.
But my guess is vapor pressure drop inside the tank causes it to malfunction
the same way -45 below zero cause propane tank/fuel malfunctions.
 
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Butane doesn't actually freeze at 32 degrees it stops vaporizing. That's if is a normal C-4 hydrocarbon iso-butane is 11 degrees. It's like a boiling pot you turn off it returns to its liquid state at atmospheric pressure.
Butane used to be put in a lot of winter gasoline for northern states to raise the Reed Vapor Pressure to help carburetor vehicles starts in cold weather.
 
Propane has a freezing point of -200 or something ridiculous.
BUT when temp drops below - 44 propane tanks drop in pressure and then not
enough vapor reaches the furnace ignition switch.
So technically not frozen, but not working either due to low temp.

I don't know anything about butane, maybe it has a higher freezing point.
But my guess is vapor pressure drop inside the tank causes it to malfunction
the same way -45 below zero cause propane tank/fuel malfunctions.
-43.6 boiling point to be exact. Never seen one, but I hear they make propane tank heaters for the extreme north.

Drove a propane truck for 6 years. Don't miss it one bit.
 
-43.6 boiling point to be exact. Never seen one, but I hear they make propane tank heaters for the extreme north.

Drove a propane truck for 6 years. Don't miss it one bit.
Butane boiling is like 31.4.
I would have to pull one of manuals for actual freeze for both.
Highly doubt we'll see those temperatures.
 
Butane doesn't actually freeze at 32 degrees it stops vaporizing. That's if is a normal C-4 hydrocarbon iso-butane is 11 degrees. It's like a boiling pot you turn off it returns to its liquid state at atmospheric pressure.
Butane used to be put in a lot of winter gasoline for northern states to raise the Reed Vapor Pressure to help carburetor vehicles starts in cold weather.
How did they keep it in the mix? Wouldn't it vaporize and go away?
 
How did they keep it in the mix? Wouldn't it vaporize and go away?
Yes some vaporized but it's partially miscible in the mix this changes the partial pressure and boiling point. Most blended was normal butane as the isomers like iso-propane, butane and pentane were Alkylated to gasoline.
Before all the EPA VOC regulations I remember blending in the winter up to 4% volume. When I retired if I remember correctly we were down to 2%. Gasoline is a blend of what we called Piano molecules that's paraffins, isomers,aromatics, naphthalene, and olefins in a range of C-4's to C-10's.
The molecular structure of each hydrocarbon changes its boiling temp. Hexane, benzene, 2-2-dimethyl butane
and vinyldiene are all C-6 hydrocarbons that act very different at the same temperature.

I know I went off in the weeds with the chemistry.
Think of the paraffin as like spaghetti molecules harder to get to moving and vaporizing.
The isomers would look more like jacks and would vaporize at a lower temperature and then your naphthalene and aromatics as they are shaped ball like.
 
Yes some vaporized but it's partially miscible in the mix this changes the partial pressure and boiling point. Most blended was normal butane as the isomers like iso-propane, butane and pentane were Alkylated to gasoline.
Before all the EPA VOC regulations I remember blending in the winter up to 4% volume. When I retired if I remember correctly we were down to 2%. Gasoline is a blend of what we called Piano molecules that's paraffins, isomers,aromatics, naphthalene, and olefins in a range of C-4's to C-10's.
The molecular structure of each hydrocarbon changes its boiling temp. Hexane, benzene, 2-2-dimethyl butane
and vinyldiene are all C-6 hydrocarbons that act very different at the same temperature.

I know I went off in the weeds with the chemistry.
Think of the paraffin as like spaghetti molecules harder to get to moving and vaporizing.
The isomers would look more like jacks and would vaporize at a lower temperature and then your naphthalene and aromatics as they are shaped ball like.
Can't believe that you said all that. Maybe you did get out of the Big Thicket a few times.
 
Interesting. I wish my brain could understand all that science stuff and remember. Mainly remember. My brain just knows they both blow up and propane isn't the same as Tpain the rapper. 😁 😝🤡 🤷🏽‍♀️ Oh and propane warms our house. Butane goes in lighters.
Would need to research why butane freezes and propane doesn't, overthink it, research some more, kick the dog, and yell at the husband before coming up with an educated answer. Now I'm wondering myself and never in my life was curious about it. 😆🤡
 
Yes some vaporized but it's partially miscible in the mix this changes the partial pressure and boiling point. Most blended was normal butane as the isomers like iso-propane, butane and pentane were Alkylated to gasoline.
Before all the EPA VOC regulations I remember blending in the winter up to 4% volume. When I retired if I remember correctly we were down to 2%. Gasoline is a blend of what we called Piano molecules that's paraffins, isomers,aromatics, naphthalene, and olefins in a range of C-4's to C-10's.
The molecular structure of each hydrocarbon changes its boiling temp. Hexane, benzene, 2-2-dimethyl butane
and vinyldiene are all C-6 hydrocarbons that act very different at the same temperature.

I know I went off in the weeds with the chemistry.
Think of the paraffin as like spaghetti molecules harder to get to moving and vaporizing.
The isomers would look more like jacks and would vaporize at a lower temperature and then your naphthalene and aromatics as they are shaped ball like.
CB, there used to be a small gas plant about 20 miles from here I hauled out of occasionally. They had a butane/ oil mix of some sort they produced, was used for industrial purposes if I remember correctly. Would you have any idea what is was? I never did know for sure.
 
CB, there used to be a small gas plant about 20 miles from here I hauled out of occasionally. They had a butane/ oil mix of some sort they produced, was used for industrial purposes if I remember correctly. Would you have any idea what is was? I never did know for sure.
Stumped me with that one.
They're are lots of little chemical plants that used products to create azotrophic(so) reactions.
I would have to do some research.

Most likely a butadiene product that goes into synthetic rubber.
 

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