How Does a Propane Tank Work?

Answer 1

Propane fuel comes in either a liquid or gas form, and is used to power engines, gas torches, barbecue grills, portable stoves, and residential heating.

You are probably most familiar with propane in tanks. Propane tanks are used for fuel in cooking on grills or camping stoves. The tank is normally 4.73 gallons, and is often referred to as a barbecue tank. The propane tank works by way of an attached metering nozzle device.

Some rural homes or farms use larger propane tanks that are periodically refilled by propane-delivery trucks. These are common to homes or farms without convenient access to other energy sources. Larger residential propane tanks can be used to fuel furnaces, cooking stoves, water heaters, laundry dryers, grain dryers, and various heat-producing appliances around the home.

Propane containers hold propane in its liquid form. Tanks use a series of standardized valves. These valves work together to ensure proper propane maintenance. The valves on a propane tank include a

• Fill valve, which is used for attaching a delivery hose and refilling the propane tank.

• Vapor return valve that functions to normalize pressure within the tank during propane delivery.

• Service valve, which changes liquid gas propane into a vapor.

• Relief valve that is used to release excess pressure and prevent volatile reactions.

• Liquid withdraw valve, which controls the amount of LP gas that is released from the propane tank.

In addition to these valves, two types of standardized gauges are essential to proper tank operation. A float gauge measures the amount of propane in the tank and a fixed liquid level gauge indicates when the propane level exceeds 80% of the tank’s total volume.

Propane tank installation is a licensed trade, and only skilled individuals may install a propane storage tank. Professional propane workers ensure compliance with state regulations and safety to propane tank users. For larger tanks, a crane is often used for installing the propane container.

A propane delivery driver will periodically return and refill a propane tank as it is needed. In addition, the driver is needed to recertify the tank for safety every 5 years, and to check environmental hazards.