Why your cooking gas does not last(Updated)
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- Author:
Muyiwa Ige(LPG Stakeholder and Consultant)
Most Nigerians quickly arrive at the conclusion that they were shortchanged where they refilled their gas cylinders, when it finishes before the expected time.
The truth, however, is that the gas station/outlet may not be the real culprit responsible for the fast depletion of your cooking gas.
There are a number of other factors that could make your gas not to last up to the expected duration of use.
Propane/Butane Ratio of the Cooking Gas
You should be aware that cooking gas is essentially a mixture of two gases: propane and butane.
The Cooking Gas specification for a tropical country like Nigeria is: Butane(80%) Propane(20%)
Now, if the proportion of the propane in the cooking gas volume you purchased is 30%, you can expect that volume not to last as long as the cooking gas volume that has 20% propane.
This is because propane burns faster than butane, so any cooking gas volume that has a proportion of propane that is higher that the specification for the country will finish faster than the one that has the 20% specification.
LPG Plants and depots determine the butane-propane ratio of cooking gas, and not LPG refilling plants and outlets.
Undetected Leakages of Gas
Minor undetected leakages of gas from the burner controls that fail to lock properly, lose or worn out hose clips, valve threading, body of the gas cylinder and the gas regulator, can make your cooking gas to get depleted at a faster rate.
Defective Gas Appliance Design/Factory Error Issues
Poor appliance design and outright factory errors made during the fabrication of gas burners and cookers can negatively impact their gas efficiency.
A burner that has a gas orifice (small hole that feeds the gas burner with the optimal quantity of gas vapor for complete combustion) that is larger than the appropriate size will waste gas and result in the rapid depletion of your gas.
In the same vein, a camp gas burner and table/standing cooker that has a larger than normal air opening will lead to an inefficiency in the system and lead to rapid gas deletion.
Sharp Practices at the Gas Refilling Center
A few LPG Refilling Plants indeed manipulate their gas dispensing systems to under-dispense gas to their unsuspecting customers.
A few gas retail outlets equally shortage their naïve customers with their weighing devices and do not refill up to the purchased amount of gas.
A situation where a customer paid for 6kg of gas, but actually got 5kg or less refilled in their cylinder, will lead to acute disappointment at the end of the day for the customer.