Butane or propane gas can be used in patio heaters and grills. Depending on the product and the gas pressure regulator you’re using, you’ll require a different sort of gas. Some heaters and barbecues can only run on one of these two types of gas, while others can run on both.
Is it possible to use butane as a fuel for a gas grill?
If you possess a gas grill and are unsure what type of gas to use, we’ve put up a guide to help you find the proper BBQ gas bottle for your needs.
Butane and propane are the two kinds of this gas. Butane comes in blue cylinders and is great for camping, single-burner cooking, and indoor portable warmers. Propane, on the other hand, is a commercial heating and large appliance fuel that is also perfect for heating and cooking in catering vans. It is stored in red cylinders. Patio Gas is propane, which is perfect for outdoor living appliances like barbeques and patio heaters and is stored in green cylinders.
This is designed specifically to power outdoor appliances such as BBQs and patio heaters, and it has the added bonus of being compatible with the 27mm clip-on regulator. It also has a Gas Trac Indicator, which can help you figure out when your gas supply is going low. Patio gas is available in 5kg and 13kg bottles.
Propane cylinders are available in a wide range of sizes, ranging from 3.9 kg to 47 kg. To connect this bottle to your barbeque, you’ll need a screw-in high-pressure adjustable propane regulator.
A ‘clip on’ regulator is put onto the top of your gas bottle, while a’screw in’ regulator is screwed into the top. The sort of propane bottle you’ll need is determined by the regulator that came with your barbeque.
A regulator is always used to connect the gas bottle. This is a critical safety feature since it regulates the pressure at which the gas is transported from the bottle to the device. It’s critical to make sure your appliance has the correct regulator for the gas bottle you’ve chosen. A green Patio gas bottle can be used with a clip-on regulator, however a red propane bottle will require a screw-in regulator.
This is mostly determined by the number of burners on your gas grill. A 5kg patio gas bottle is appropriate if it has between one and three. If you have a larger barbecue, such as one with four burners or more, a 13kg bottle is advised. We offer a useful tool called ‘Which gas bottle do I need?’ that can inform you which gas bottle is best for your BBQ.
For more information on BBQ bottles and to place an order, go to our online store (subject to availability). Alternatively, you can use our Retailer Finder tool to locate a Calor retailer near you.
What happens if butane is substituted for propane?
While it’s evident that propane has a long list of advantages, butane is also a viable option for usage as a BBQ gas.
- Fast and Effective Burn Butane ignites quickly and quickly reaches maximum heat output, so there’s no need to wait for it to warm up. This is an excellent quality for anyone who wants to light up their grill.
- Despite the fact that propane and butane are derived in the same way, butane is actually somewhat less expensive than propane.
- Low Toxicity – If you are concerned about the environment, butane may be the best gas for you. When compared to propane, butane burns cleaner because it produces just carbon dioxide when ignited.
- When the same amount of butane and propane are burned at the same time, butane typically provides roughly 12% more energy than propane. Butane is especially appealing to individuals who use their barbecue a few times a week.
- Easy to Use Using butane with a BBQ couldn’t be easier; simply connect the gas and let it to run into your cooker; then all you have to do is ignite the BBQ and begin cooking your meal.
- Extremely Efficient In Warm Weather When it comes to cooking efficiency in warmer weather, butane is a clear victor. However, it should be remembered that when the temperature is cold, butane gas will not flow.
So there you have it; you now know everything there is to know about butane and propane gas, allowing you to make an informed decision the next time you need gas for your grill.
If you’re looking for butane or propane gas for your barbecue, check out our selection for some of the greatest deals around. We’ve been offering specialist bottled gas in and around Kent for over 25 years, so you can trust that the gases we offer are of the greatest quality.
Is it possible to utilize butane in a propane appliance?
“In practice, the two gases are nearly identical. Most appliances can run on either butane or propane without needing to be modified. When using cylinders, keep in mind that propane and butane require different regulators. Propane has a higher operating pressure than butane.
Should I grill with propane or butane?
Energy efficient – If you’re seeking for a fuel source that will provide you with the most heat for your money, butane is the way to go. For the same volume of gas burned, butane typically provides 12 percent more energy than propane. So, if you’re a regular BBQ user, make sure you have plenty of butane gas on hand!
Is there a difference between butane and propane regulators?
Propane (chemical formula C3H8) is a less dense gas than Butane (chemical formula C4H10). Although Butane burns hotter than Propane, Propane regulators release the gas at a faster pace to compensate, so the gas burner produces the same amount of heat in practice.
So Butane has to be superior? If if life were that easy. However, because butane has a greater temperature boiling point than propane, it does not perform well at low temperatures. At + 5C, butane evaporates (cooks), whereas propane evaporates at – 44C. The vapor from the gas cylinder, which is the gas that passes through the regulator, is used. When it becomes too cold, it turns into a liquid, and the gas pressure falls. Once the bottle temperature drops below 10 C, a butane gas cylinder will produce less pressure. Furthermore, when you draw gas, all gas bottles become colder, and the faster the rate at which you utilize gas, the colder the bottle becomes. So, if you utilize Butane too quickly in cold temperatures, the gas pressure will drop dramatically. Because Propane has a significantly lower boiling point, this difficulty is eliminated, and bottles placed outside can be used all year.
Gas bottles come in a range of sizes and are color-coded according to the type of gas they contain. Butane comes in blue bottles while Propane comes in red cylinders in the UK. Propane bottles utilize red bottles with a screw-on regulator that must be tightened with a spanner, while Butane bottles use a clip-on regulator with a standard internal valve size of 21mm. Patio Gas is a novel propane format that was released a few years ago. This comes in green bottles with a clip-on regulator that measures 27mm. This means that a butane regulator cannot be connected to a propane bottle and vice versa.
To sum up, if this is your first gas bottle, be cautious. Patio gas is the ideal option because it has a simple clip-on style regulator and operates well in all weather conditions.
The Nature and Behaviour of Mixtures of Fuels
There have been a number of misconceptions and falsehoods in this field. Let’s start by laying out some facts. Below are some additional explanations.
- Petrol, kerosene, and propane/butane are all examples of’mixtures.’ Some have argued they are answers, but the debate was over terminology more than reality. Consider the word’mixture.’
- Some have claimed that meticulous ‘boiling off’ can separate the components. For example, it has been claimed that all of the propane in a mixture of butane and propane can be boiled off first. The ratios of components left behind in the liquid mixture can be altered, but true separation in the vapour cannot be achieved.
- Some have stated that the fuels are solutions with various boiling points. In fact, the mixes boil at different temperatures depending on the component ratios.
I’ve had some lengthy email exchanges with a few professionals in this field. They have contributed to my education, and I am grateful for that. However, I assume full responsibility for the content of this document.
Basic Science – key terms and concepts
In the stoves pages, I differentiated between’mixture’ and’solution.’ In actuality, the situation is more complicated, but before we get into the specifics, some basic science background is required. That way, I’ll be able to make the rest of the explanations short and sweet.
- Although the molecules in every liquid are free to move about, there is still some connection between them. The van der Waals bindings between non-polar molecules are stronger than the ones between highly polar ions such as dissolved salt and water. By way of analogy, there is essentially no bonding between the molecules in a gas, whereas there is almost rigid connection in a solid. (Purists may object to the terminology used here; I’m attempting to keep things as clear as possible.)
- The almost rigid chemical connections between the sodium and chlorine atoms are broken when common salt is dissolved in water, and the atoms become ions. Ions float in water and can create electrostatic connections with water molecules and other particles. This is unquestionably a’solution.’
- The bonds between butane molecules are quite comparable to those between propane molecules in terms of strength. This strength is determined, among other things, by the shape of the molecules.
- Unlike water molecules, butane and propane molecules are largely “non-polar.” (There is a smidgeon of polarity.)
- A liquid ‘boils’ when a molecule’s velocity (or energy) is sufficient to break all surrounding bonds, allowing the molecule to escape or fly away.
- Temperature is a measurement of how much energy a molecule in a liquid has: ‘hotter’ signifies more energy and vibration. The molecules, on the other hand, do not all have the same energy: there is a dispersion. Some molecules will have a slight advantage in terms of energy and will be the first to escape.
- Furthermore, the heavier the molecule (for example, the greater the amount of carbon atoms), the slower it will travel for a given energy, according to Newton’s Law of Motion. v2 = E = 1/2 m As a result, the heavier the molecule, the hotter it must be before single molecules can escape. The boiling point of water increases in direct proportion to the size of the molecules.
- A small proportion of the molecules have enough energy below the boiling point to break all links with other molecules and escape. These molecules condense into a vapour above the liquid, which has a ‘vapour pressure.’
- When a liquid contains several different compounds, each one has its own ‘partial vapour pressure’ in the vapour above. The total vapour pressure is the sum of all these partial vapour pressures.
- When just x percent of a chemical is present in a liquid mixture, the partial vapour pressure of that chemical is x percent of the pure chemical’s vapour pressure. This is what Raoult’s Law is all about. But keep in mind that this only applies to ‘ideal solutions,’ where the intermolecular bond energy is roughly the same.
Mixture – what does this mean?
In the stoves pages, I differentiated between’mixture’ and’solution.’ Two variables, in fact, make the problem more complicated. The first issue is that there is no universally acknowledged definition for the term “mixture” – or, to put it another way, there is no universally acceptable phrase for a mixture of (say) butane and propane. Some refer to it as a solution, while others refer to it as a combination. Depending on the industry, this may or may not be the case. So you may call it whatever you like.
Consider what occurs when butane and propane liquids are mixed. Because they are both non-polar, they will get along swimmingly. Many of the links between butane molecules will be broken as a result of all the jostling, and will be replaced by bonds between butane and propane molecules. Because the bonding energies are so comparable, the molecules are unconcerned. For example, the resulting liquid will resemble pure liquid butane. It adheres to the notion of ‘perfect solution’ just as well as the definition of’mixture.’
Now, to paraphrase one of my correspondents (Jim), propane and butane interact via van der Waals forces, but they interact nearly equally with one another as they do with one other. That is why the mixture is referred to as a ‘perfect solution,’ and why it follows Raoult’s Law so effectively. An ethanol-water mixture, on the other hand, deviates positively from ideality and has a higher vapour pressure than predicted by Raoult’s Law. This is due to the fact that the interaction energies of water molecules, ethanol molecules, and water and ethanol molecules are all different.
Boiling – what does this mean?
Boiling occurs when the liquid’s total vapour pressure (VP) exceeds the ambient air pressure. At 100 degrees Celsius, the VP of water exceeds ‘one atmosphere,’ and it boils. Of course, if you’re high on a mountain and the air pressure is less than ‘one atmosphere,’ the water will reach that pressure at a lower temperature and boil at less than 100 degrees Celsius. This occurs. The same may be said about the fuels we utilize. When their VP reaches the ambient air pressure, they ‘boil.’
However, evaporation will continue below the ‘boiling point,’ as hot water steams away. A liquid does, in fact, lose vapour at all temperatures, however the rate of loss varies. It’s worth noting that as a volume of liquid loses vapour, the most energetic molecules are lost as well, lowering the temperature of the remaining liquid. Anyone who has used a gas stove knows how chilly the bottom of the canister gets after it has been running for some time.
Butane and Propane
Butane boils at -0.5 degrees Celsius, while propane boils at -42 degrees Celsius. The difference in boiling point (BP) is caused by differences in molecule masses as well as differing intermolecular interactions between molecules. The size and shape of the molecules determine everything. The molecule’s detailed chemical construction has a vital role in this, but we’ll overlook that for now. The ‘boiling point’ of a mixture of these two liquids will, of course, be somewhere in between these two extremes.
What is the lowest temperature at which a canister can produce vapour? The pressure inside the canister will no longer drive vapour out when the temperature of the liquids falls below its present boiling point. This will be determined by the fuel combination in the canister, which will be addressed further below.
isobutane
So far, we’ve mostly looked at regular butane, which boils at -0.5 degrees Celsius. Some manufacturers, such as MSR and Kovea, provide isobutane-filled canisters instead of butane-filled canisters. Isobutane boils at -12 degrees Celsius. What is the difference, and how does this affect things?
The distinction between butane and isobutane is in the carbon atom configuration. There is just one method to connect three carbon atoms: in a basic three-carbon chain. But there’s a fourth atom in butane: where does it go? You have butane if it links to the end of the chain (or n-butane). When it joins to the middle atom, the chain is no longer simple and straight, and you get isobutane. You can now try to figure out how many possibilities there are for 5 or 6 or more carbon atoms if you have a pencil and paper and an inquisitive mind. Yes, it is a shambles! Also, remember that you can build a benzene ring with six carbons.
The technical answer is that it doesn’t make much of a difference: it’s all a matter of degree. (I apologize for the pun!) Because the structure of the molecule has altered, the energy of the bond between the molecules changes somewhat, resulting in a shift in the nominal BP. The mixture, on the other hand, behaves like an ideal solution and follows Raoult’s Law. When we study the lower limits of boiling, we notice a significant difference.
Vapour Pressure of Gas Mixtures as a Function of Temperature
What happens if I keep a canister of 80% butane/20% propane at -5 degrees Celsius? Is it true that all of the propane boils away, leaving only the butane? No. Even if you’re close to the boiling point of butane, it’ll still give off a lot of vapour. Consider a saucepan of boiling water that is still steaming. At -5 C, the liquid butane would still emit butane vapour, but at a slower pace.
In the case of a mixture, the vapour pressure (VP) in the canister will be a blend of pure butane and propane vapour pressures. If the liquid contains 80% butane, the partial pressure of the butane vapour will be 80% of the nominal VP, which is what it would be for pure butane. As a result, the propane partial pressure will be 20% of the nominal VP. We can compute the VP curve for the mixture if we know what the VP curves are for pure liquids.
Operation of an Upright Stove
Consider a canister driving a gas stove that is vertical and has a gas feed. What we discover is that the situation is shifting. The liquids are evaporating at distinct speeds: butane and propane evaporate at different rates, with propane evaporating quicker. As a result, the amount of butane and propane left behind will fluctuate over time at various rates, affecting the combination left behind and its VP. The pressure inside a gas canister can be plotted as a function of the contents of the canister, as shown in the diagram to the right. This is for a canister that started with 80% butane and 20% propane and is now sitting at -18 C, which is rather uncomfortable. This graph was provided by one of my readers.
The real pressure as a function of the amount of mixture left inside the canister is shown by the solid blue curve. As the amount of mixture left in the canister decreases, the pressure decreases. It’s worth noting that when gas is sucked off, the ratio of gases in this mixture changes: the amount of propane left is decreasing.
The faint blue dotted line (which connects to the blue curve on the right) depicts the gas pressure if the liquid in the canister was pure butane: it is, of course, a constant. It’s possible that drawing it as a line across the graph is misleading, but it’s beside the point.
At 3000 meters, the dashed green line shows air pressure. Okay, we don’t get that hot in Australia, but that’s beside the point. It, too, is mostly unaffected by the horizontal axis.
What can we deduce from this graph now? We can see that the canister pressure (blue curve) will initially be higher than the surrounding air pressure (green dashes), causing gas to escape when the valve is opened: a mixture of butane and propane. As a result, both propane and butane will be lost from the canister. However, because the propane is ‘boiling’ while the butane is only’steaming,’ the propane is escaping faster than the butane. This means that the amount of propane left in the liquid will rapidly decrease. The overall vapour pressure decreases as the propane content decreases. The VP of the fuel (blue curve) eventually falls below one atmosphere (dashed green line), at which time the canister stops emitting gas. Even if the canister is still half filled, the stove goes out (or more). Many people have experienced this in the snow.
The fact that as the fuel inside the canister evaporates, the remaining liquid fuel loses energy and becomes colder is not taken into account. Of course, this exacerbates the situation: the pressure inside the canister will be even lower. The wonderful photograph of an iced-up Snow Peak furnace shows what might happen. The stove is working OK, however once all of the propane has been used up, it will shut down.