Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

Liquefied Petroleum Gas, commonly known as LPG, is a byproduct of crude oil and natural gas refining and is a mixture of propane and butane. It is used as a clean fuel (autogas) in more than 40% of the countries worldwide. For example, in countries like South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore, this fuel is used for motorcycles.

Also, in Russia, this fuel is used for taxi services. In Turkey, this fuel is part of the mandatory requirements for student transportation systems (vans), and vehicles without this fuel are not allowed to operate in city areas.

In Europe, Germany has prioritized the construction of the largest number of LPG fuel stations, followed by Italy. In Iran, before gas pipeline distribution, liquefied gas was sold in cylinders as fuel for heating appliances.

However, with the transfer of gas to residential homes via pipelines, the sale of these cylinders stopped. As a result, this fuel is now used for heating applications and as fuel for vehicles. Still, liquefied gas exists and is consumed in all gas transmission pipelines.

LPG
گاز LPG

This fuel is simple, inexpensive, and has a long lifespan. Due to its chemical composition, it is less flammable than natural gas, which is methane. Additionally, because this fuel is heavier and has a distinct odor, leaks can be easily detected since it tends to stay close to the ground and is not light, odorless, and volatile like natural gas.

Furthermore, transporting this fuel is easy using tankers, and there is no need to transfer it through pipelines. For this reason, it is more accessible than natural gas and has a lower overall cost. Another economic benefit is that its cost is lower than gasoline because it requires less refining compared to gasoline. Consequently, it has fewer complexities, which leads to a lower production cost.

In addition to the mentioned advantages, this fuel also offers many economic and environmental benefits. The cost of installing an LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) fuel station is much lower compared to gasoline and even CNG stations.

This is because, unlike natural gas, LPG fuel stations do not require high-pressure tanks, making construction and maintenance easier and safer due to a lower risk of explosion. Another advantage is the cleanliness of this fuel.

The emissions produced by LPG are significantly lower than those from diesel and fuel oil, resulting in generally less harmful environmental effects. However, there may be a seeming contradiction since the emissions from natural gas (CNG) are much lower than LPG, producing no carbon dioxide (CO2) or nitrogen oxides (NOx), and consequently, no acid rain.

احداث جایگاه LPG
LPG Station

One of the most important reasons for the widespread use of this fuel in most developed countries is its high energy content, thermal value, and power compared to other fuels.

For example, a motorcycle fueled with LPG can travel about 200 kilometers on a single refuel. For this reason, LPG can easily be used for heavy vehicles such as buses, trucks, pickups, tractors, forklifts, and more. The safety of LPG fuel, along with its other advantages, makes it a very suitable choice to replace gasoline or diesel.

This is under the condition that natural gas has no leakage, since methane itself, even without combustion, can cause much more damage to the environment and the ozone layer than the pollutants produced from burning it.

Selecting a Suitable Land for Setting Up an LPG Fuel Station

Characteristics of suitable land for establishing a fuel station:

  • Adequate distance from places such as welding shops, bakeries, gatherings of more than 50 people nearby, etc.

  • Maneuverability for tanker trucks on the access road to the station

  • Compliance with regulations and standards regarding high-voltage power lines (substation towers) and gas transmission pipelines

  • Suitable distance from rivers

  • The land should not be located at intersections or sharp curves

سوخت LPG