propane versus butane - does either burn hotter than the other

Mar 4, 2010
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I am aware that propane continues to gas at a lower temperature than butane but does either burn hotter than the other? Thanks for your replies.
 
May 12, 2011
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Not hotter but that is not the only criteria. Per unit of volume butane releases more energy than propane when it burns, 126MJ/m3 versus 95.8MJ/m3.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Hello Wally,

In terms of flame temperature, as you will see from the chart nigelhirst points to you will see there is only a 10C or 0.05% difference in actual flame temperature, and as John Griffiths points out that is only part of the story.

It also depends on how old your gas system is. If you have the older system where butane and propane bottles have different regulators set to 28 and 37mBar respectively, then as far as the user is concerned there is no practical difference in the performance of the two gasses, except at low temperatures.

The systems in caravan’s post 2004, where there is a common 30mbar regulator, then there will be a difference in performance and a kettle heated on butane will boiler quicker than on propane, because of the higher calorific value of butane.
Except where there are extremes of ambient temperature to cope with, items such as fridges, ovens and heaters where the amount of gas used is controlled by a thermostatically controlled valve, will not show any marked difference in operating temperatures, but they may take slightly longer to reach the desired temperature when using propane.
 
Aug 28, 2005
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does that mean my caravan cooker grill will be hotter , and my toast will be done quicker ,if so i will change one of my cylinders to butane
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Hello Joeboy,

First of all I must caution you; reading your post it sounds as though you have a two bottle gas system. Under no circumstances should you mix the types of gas in your system, i.e. Butane and Propane connected at the same time. It is highly dangerous and it is illegal to mix the gasses in the same system.

As described above the flame temperature of both gases is virtually the same, but given the same pressure and the same burner assembly, 30mB butane gas will provide more heat than 30mB Propane over the same length of time. Think of the Butane flame being bigger, so more of the base of pan is in contact with the flame, providing a greater heat transfer.

Gas fired grills work slightly differently. The gas flame is used to heat a radiant panel. There are two factors at play here, firstly the gas flame is only transiently in touch with the panel, so a low velocity flame, will be in contact for longer, and the panel quenches the flame. Depending on the design of the grill, these two factors do mean that a Butane fuelled grill may achieve a higher temperature or it may heat a larger area than by using propane.

Either way your toast will do quicker under 30mB Butane compared to 30Mb Propane.

Do you prefer brown or white bread for toast? Butter or marg?, Jam or marmalade or Marmite!
 
Aug 29, 2010
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Propane and butane have about as many similarities as they do differences. They're both gases with a similar chemical structure, and they can be utilized for many of the same appliances and purposes-- including heating and fuel. There is no clear winner in the propane-butane debate, although many people have drawn their own conclusions based on personal needs. Benefits 1. Butane is not a highly toxic gas. Therefore, it can be safely, properly stored inside with little worry. You can also extract approximately 12 percent more energy per liter from butane than you can propane, which means that, liter for liter, you will get more mileage out of butane. Butane is also a cheaper gas to purchase, though propane is more widely available throughout the United States than butane. Features 2. Though propane and butane are both gases, their chemical structures vary slightly. In scientific terms, propane is a gas that is classified as a three-carbon alkane, which means that it consists of three carbon atoms and eight hydrogen atoms. It is a derivative from the petroleum that is created when natural gas and oil is processed. Butane is a four-carbon alkane, as it contains four carbon atoms and 10 hyrdrogen atoms. Geography 3. Propane is stored at a higher pressure point and contains a lower boiling point than butane, allowing it to stand up better to incremental weather and harsh elements. Thus, propane can be easily stored outside. This can make it the gas of choice for most outdoorsmen, whereas butane is not able to withstand cooler temperatures lower than 0 degrees Celsius. Identification 4. Propane is almost always stored in red tanks or canisters, making them easy to identify. Butane is harder to identify. The color of butane tanks tend to vary based on the supplier, though blue is the most common color of butane tanks. Considerations 5. With a similar chemical structure, propane and butane can be used on the same appliances in certain instances. Before hooking up a butane tank to an appliance that was previously utilizing propane, or vice versa, you should check with the appliance's owner manual and ensure that you have the proper regulator for the alternate gas. You can also call the appliance's manufacturer or check with your local supplier before substituting one of the gases for the other. Read more: What Is the Difference Between Propane and Butane? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_4618812_what-difference-between-propane-butane.html#ixzz0yJUnNe6L
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I agree with the core that coopy has copied, but there are some omissions.

The above quote is American, and whilst the technical differences are of course the same her in the UK, the pricing structure is rather different. Even though Butane may be cheaper to produce, the commercial structures in place often make butane a more expensive retail purchase.

Neither Butane or Propane are toxic, but in high concentrations they will suffercate by reducing the amount of oxygen available to the lungs.

The other factor that the article fails to clarify is the EU's 30mBar regulator system in caravans, where either gas is regulated to the same pressure, there is a heating performance difference, where butane will produce more heat per second than propane. However despite that fact, the actual flame temperatures are within 0.05% of each other.

This information still does not change the fact that the gasses are different, and they must not be simultaneously connected to the same system.
 

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