Types of domestic gas: what kind of gas comes to our apartments + features of domestic gas

Gas is present in many areas of life.It powers vehicle engines, heats rooms, and is used as an energy source in various household and industrial devices. It wouldn’t be bad to know what it’s made of, what properties it has, and what dangers this universal type of fuel hides, right?

We will talk about what fuel is supplied to residential premises, consider the types of household gas and analyze what is included in its composition. We also recall the operating rules that everyone who uses gas equipment at home needs to know.

What gas is supplied to residential buildings?

Household gas is the most important raw material resource necessary for heating water, cooking food and organizing a heating system in the home. It is a mixture of flammable gaseous substances and some additional substances.

Types of domestic gas

Compared to other energy sources, gas has many advantages: it ignites quickly, does not emit soot and smoke during combustion, and practically does not contain harmful components and solid impurities. The combustion process of blue fuel is easy to control.

There are two main types of gas used in domestic settings:

1. Natural. A gaseous substance that is pumped into storage facilities and supplied to residential buildings through an extensive pipeline system.It consists predominantly of methane and does not change its physical state from the moment of extraction to delivery to the direct consumer.
2. Liquefied. A propane-butane mixture obtained during oil refining. It is a liquid placed in special tanks for storage or transportation to places where the use of pipes is impossible or economically impractical.

Through centralized heating and gas supply systems, natural gas is supplied to residential premises, extracted from the bowels of the earth and previously purified from a number of impurities. This type of fuel is considered the cheapest, most accessible and convenient for apartment buildings.

Natural gas brings comfort and warmth to your home, allows you to efficiently heat the room and quickly prepare food. It is a universal energy carrier that releases a large amount of heat during combustion.

And here liquefied propane-butane mixture characterized by a high heat of combustion, but at the same time it is much more explosive. Liquid gas cylinders need to be transported, set up and connected correctly. When using them, it is extremely important to observe special safety precautions. Often, cylinders or gas tanks are installed in private homes and summer cottages.

Since methane is half the weight of air, it accumulates at the top during leaks. The propane-butane mixture, on the contrary, goes down. This must be taken into account in emergency situations.

Composition and pressure of gas in pipelines

Before you end up in main pipelinesleading to residential buildings, natural gas undergoes preliminary processing and several degrees of purification. During the procedures, the necessary impurities are added to the fuel, making the composition as effective and safe as possible for use.

Following from the place of production to heating systems and kitchen stoves, gas travels tens of thousands of kilometers along underground, underwater, onshore or surface pipelines. In terms of device complexity, they can be single- or multi-stage

The main share of the fuel mixture is methane. Depending on the mining region, its content varies from 80 to 98% of the total volume. It is the amount of methane that serves as an indicator of the quality of the energy carrier.

Domestic gas also contains:

• carbon dioxide;
• propane;
• ethane;
• butane;
• hydrogen sulfide;
• helium.

In addition, the fuel may contain a small part water vapor And nitrogen. Properties and characteristics are almost entirely determined by methane, but can change under the influence of the quantitative and qualitative composition of the mixture.

In the gas pipeline systems through which fuel circulates, very high pressure is created - above 2.5 MPa and up to 10 MPa. Under such pressure, gas moves over long distances and between populated areas.

Since such an indicator is unacceptable for domestic consumption, when it arrives at gas distribution stations it is significantly reduced by carrying out additional methane purification. Thus, gas is transported to consumers under pressure up to 5 kPa (low pressure), from 5 kPa to 0.3 MPa (medium pressure range) and 0.3 MPa to 1.2 MPa (high pressure range). We discussed pressure standards in gas pipelines in more detail in next material.

Causes of the specific smell of gas

Methane itself, in its pure form, does not have a characteristic odor or color.What is added to household gas to give it its characteristic smell? It is possible to detect a leak using the sense of smell due to the fact that a small amount of substances with a strong unpleasant odor are mixed into the gas.

These substances are called odorants. They give the fuel mixture a specific smell of rotten hay, rotten eggs or rotten cabbage, which warns of danger and a possible gas leak in the room.

Odorants do not make the gas more toxic. In small concentrations, these substances are not hazardous to health, evaporate easily and are of a warning nature. If concentration limits are exceeded, substances may cause headache, nausea

Sulfur-containing organic compounds are used as odorants, most often - ethyl mercaptan or ethanethiol. They are sprayed into the structure of the fuel mixture using special installations during processing.

Why is household gas dangerous?

Whatever gas enters residential buildings, through the main gas pipeline or from a cylinder, if handled incorrectly, it can deadly.

We recommend that you read the article: [link_webnavoz]Why do gas cylinders explode: the main causes of accidents[/link_webnavoz].

Explosive situations arise at the moment of critical increases in methane concentration (more than 15% of the total volume of air in the room). At temperatures above 650 °C spontaneous combustion is possible

The natural gas supplied to homes contains almost no toxic substances. But in everyday life there are many cases when, as a result of a leak, serious harm to the body is caused or even death occurs. The main reason for this is carbon dioxide, which enters the room and displaces oxygen from the surrounding area, causing suffocation.

Another negative feature of methane is high fire And explosion hazard. The level of risk is determined by many additional factors, in particular pressure and ambient temperature.

If there is a leak, the gas mixes with air, forming an explosive mixture. The source of ignition in hallways, apartments and houses can be a small spark, a flame from a cigarette, lighter, match, or any device that uses electrical impulses.

Electrical equipment and devices powered by batteries and accumulators pose a particular danger in closed, gas-filled rooms. With a high percentage of methane, even a turned-on mobile phone and laptop can cause an explosion or fire.

The explosions are so strong that they almost completely destroy housing. Therefore, if you hear a characteristic smell in the apartment, it is advisable not to use electrical appliances and turn off the electricity in the switchboard.

What does the color of the flame on the burners indicate?

The flame on a gas stove or boiler often has different shades. The color depends on the quality of gas supplied to the apartments. It is used to judge the physical and chemical characteristics of the fuel mixture.

High-quality fuel with a homogeneous structure is different uniform burning, rich blue fire. Such gas burns completely, releasing the maximum amount of heat and a minimum of harmful substances.

The purity of combustion is affected by the hydrogen content. If tongues appear in the flame red, orange or yellow color, this indicates a problem.

There may be two reasons:

1. Imbalance in the air-fuel mixture.
2. Low energy quality.

An abnormal color of the flame in the burner indicates the presence of undesirable impurities, incomplete combustion of fuel and the formation of carbon monoxide. Therefore, both cases are potentially dangerous.

An imbalance in the fuel mixture can occur due to insufficient or excessive air flow, or the burner becoming clogged with soot, dust, or soot. It happens that gas is supplied to the house low density, unable to provide optimal heating levels.

If you find a non-standard shade of flame in the burner, contact the gas specialists or the responsible authorities. Low-quality fuel is dangerous when used, leads to increased costs, premature wear of gas equipment and various emergency situations

In this situation, normal operation of the system requires large amounts of resources, and, consequently, utility bills increase. Typically, the culprits are management companies that increase their income by deliberately reducing the hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide content of the energy carrier.

Recommendations for safe use of gas

In practice, most explosions and fires are caused by human factor, neglect of safety precautions when using gas, and negligence in handling gas equipment.

To protect yourself and your loved ones, you need to follow a number of norms and generally established rules. This will help prevent explosive situations and all adverse consequences associated with gas leaks.

Rules for operating gas equipment

Any gas equipment should be purchased only from specialized companies that can present certificates for the sale of this type of product. Please note that the kit contains instructions for the safe use of the device. 

Installation and repair work must be carried out by specialists from relevant organizations. Unauthorized gasification of a house or apartment, replacement, reinstallation and changes to the design of gas appliances are strictly prohibited

It is important to adhere to the following rules for operating gas equipment:

• carefully read the instructions and follow the recommendations indicated therein;
• do not use the equipment for other purposes (heat the apartment using a gas stove);
• monitor the performance of devices and ventilation, annually invite specialists to check the draft;
• ensure normal air flow in the room, do not isolate ventilation openings, do not block gas pipes;
• do not leave functioning devices unattended, especially in rooms with young children, and also if the devices are not designed for continuous operation and are not equipped with appropriate automation;
• do not tie clotheslines to gas pipelines;
• turn off gas valves and taps on the pipeline before leaving home; if you are away for a long time, it is better to turn off the electricity;
• Do not blow out or pour water or other liquids onto the flame on the burner.

It is very important to regularly check the condition and tightness of hoses, fittings, and threaded connections. The optimal length of the flexible hose is no more than 2 meters, the maximum service life is up to 4 years.

The hose should be tightly placed on the gas valve, but it is not recommended to overtighten the clamp clamp.

We reviewed more recommendations for the safe operation of gas equipment in this article.

Most often, gas leaks occur due to ruptures in the hoses connecting the stove to the gas pipeline or failure of sealing in the area of ​​threaded seams. Another common reason is the inattention of users who forget to close the valves responsible for the gas supply.

Feeling the characteristic smell of gas in the apartment, it is necessary to immediately close the burner taps and valves on the pipeline. You should also open doors and windows and thoroughly ventilate the gas-filled room, making sure that everyone present quickly leaves it.

People affected by gas should be immediately taken out into fresh air and given first aid:

• lay on your back so that your legs are higher than your body;
• remove tight clothing;
• cover, rub the chest, bring ammonia;
• when vomiting, turn on side;
• If possible, drink plenty of water.

You cannot do anything that could create a spark or flame: smoke, light a fire, turn on/off electrical appliances, lighting, press the bell button, use mobile devices.

It is advisable to immediately report the incident to the emergency gas service. While the rescuers arrive, it is worth warning your neighbors about the situation.

Leak detection methods

Several proven methods are used to detect gas leaks indoors. The simplest and most common option is to carry out surface inspection, applying soapy water along the gas pipes. In case of leakage in problem areas bubbles form.

The most reliable way to avoid trouble is to install carbon monoxide sensor.

This modern, ultra-sensitive device - a gas leak sensor - will instantly notify you of the slightest problem through a sound or light alarm.

You can also detect a leak by hearing or smelling it. If there is a strong leak, the fuel mixture escapes from the pipes with a whistle. It's easy to feel and specific smell of odorantsadded to the fuel structure during processing.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

What path does natural gas take from production to delivery to the end consumer?

Recommendations for the safe operation of gas appliances:

Natural gas supplied to apartments through main pipelines is one of the most affordable and profitable types of fuel. It has a high calorific value and does not contain harmful impurities that pollute the surrounding space.

At the same time, gas is a source of increased danger and requires careful handling in everyday life. To prevent fire, explosive situations and poisoning from leaks, certain safety precautions must be observed when using gas equipment.

Timely maintenance of gas equipment, ensuring high-quality ventilation, control over the operation of equipment and competent actions in the event of an emergency - these are the basic rules for the safe use of gas.

Do you have any questions about the types of household gas? Or would you like to add useful information to this publication? Write your comments, ask questions to our experts and other users - the feedback form is located below.