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propane and butane


Sent to General Experts August 07, 2006 9:21 a.m.

what is the difference between propane and butane, will a propane generator run on butane ???????

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August 07, 2006 9:37 a.m. (16 minutes and 13 seconds later)
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The chemical formula for propane is C3H8 and the formula for butane is C4H10.

Butane is less volatile than propane. That means that, at the same temperature, butane will have a lower gas pressure above the compressed liquid. If a substitution is made, the mixture ratio between fuel and oxygen will be incorrect and the result could be a very sooty flame, a failure to ignite, or an explosion. Don't do it. Orifices would need to be resized and/or a pressure regulator setting changed.



Edited by drwls on August 7 2006 at 9:40am


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