Butane: Difference between revisions

== Properties ==

Butane is a hydrocarbon with a formula of C₄H₁₀, which means it contains 4 carbon atoms and 10 hydrogen atoms. This gas is considered an [[alkane]], which means it is a member of the alkanine series, a grouping of ". . .non-aromatic saturated hydrocarbons." <ref>[http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=alkane%20series Wordnet Search 3.1]. ''Word Net Web''. Web. Accessed 27 February 2013. Unknown Author.</ref> To put it simply, the alkanine series contains hydrocarbons with only one carbon-carbon bond. Butane's more closely related alkanes are propane, isobutane, and pentane. Butane remains as a gas at normal room temperature. It has a low molecular weight and appears as a colorless gas. It has a molar mass of 58.12 grams per mole, and has a density of 0.579 grams per milliliter. This gas has a melting point of -138 degrees Celsius and a boiling point of 0 degrees [[Celsius]]. It is highly combustible and flammable when it is released into the air, and is prone to creating explosions or flash [[fires]]. When it is in a compressed liquid form, butane has the potential to cause [[frostbite]] or [[freezeburn]] when touched. This gas has the ability to become a liquid rapidly when placed into a compressed container, like the orange canisters it is often transported in. Though butane is one of many different types of natural gas, it is one of the few that only releases [[carbon dioxide]] as a useless byproduct, instead of carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas. <ref>[http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-butane.htm What is Butane?]. ''Wise Geek''. Web. Last Modified on 17 February 2013. Pollick, Michael.</ref> Butane is also known as a paraffin gas, which means that it is a [[hydrocarbon]].<ref>[http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/paraffin Paraffin]. ''The Free Dictionary''. Web. Published in 2007. Unknown Author.</ref> The classification of being a paraffin gas means that butane's flame can resemble a candle's flame. This can be observed when butane is compressed into a cigarette lighter and ignited.

==Occurrences ==

Butane naturally occurs in crude [[petroleum]] and more commonly in natural gas. Because of this, butane is known as an NGL, which stands for "natural gas liquid." NGLs are byproducts of natural gas processing. Natural gas processing isolates the pure natural gas by removing all of the assorted hydrocarbons and fluids. It is a complex four-step process, which begins with the removal of [[oil]] and condensate, then water removal, glycol dehydration, and finally ends with solid-desiccant dehydration. The isolation of butane occurs during this procedure. After the NGLs are separated from the natural gas, they must undergo fractionation. This process sorts out the individual components in the NGL stream. This process involves the Deethanizer, which isolates the ethane, Depropanizer, which isolates the propane, Debutanizer, which separates the butane via boiling, and Deisobutanizer, which separates the normal butanes from the iso. Each of these processes are necessary to produce butane, and more importantly, the dry natural gas that can be transported through [[pipelines]] and used commercially. <ref>[http://www.naturalgas.org/naturalgas/processing_ng.asp Natural Gas Processing]. ''Natural Gas''. Web. Accessed 27 February 2013. Unknown Author. </ref>