The story of the fight for LPG which started across the country after the war between America and Iran is very interesting. This story starts not from a big laboratory, but from an ordinary garage. It was the beginning of the 20th century. Motor vehicles were becoming increasingly popular in America. During this period, a car owner reached the garage. His complaint was simple, but also mysterious.
He would fill petrol in his car. After some time he felt that the petrol was running out quickly. The meter was going down, but there was no hole in the tank. Liquid petrol was not visible dripping from anywhere. The garage people were also surprised. If there is no leak, where is the fuel going?
Couldn’t find solution so went to scientist
This strange problem reached a young chemist. His name was Walter O. Snelling. He used to study the chemical properties related to petroleum and fuel. It was in his nature to take every small thing seriously. Snelling also took this complaint seriously and started research. And they came to the conclusion that if petrol was disappearing then there must be some chemical reason. He felt the need for in-depth study on this.
Walter O. Snelling.
This was revealed
At that time petrol was generally considered an ordinary liquid fuel. Very few people knew that petrol is a mixture of many types of hydrocarbons. These contain some heavy molecules. Some very mild. These light molecules easily become vapor, that is, they can fly in the air. Snelling turned his research in this direction. He divided the petrol samples into different parts. Warmed them up. Cooled down. Changed the pressure and observed which part evaporates at which temperature.
During investigation, Snelling found that some very light gases were present in the petrol. Prominent among these were propane and butane. These gases become vapor even at very low temperatures. They spread very quickly and are highly flammable. These gases were separating from the petrol and flying away. It looked as if petrol was leaking. Actually, not liquid, but gaseous part was coming out.
A useless thing became useful to the whole world.
At that time these gases were not given much importance in the oil refinery. Products like kerosene, diesel and petrol were made from crude oil and were considered more important. Propane and butane were often considered excess or troublesome by-products. Many times they were burnt. Many times the technology to keep them safe was not available. But Snelling thought differently. He saw these gases not as a problem but as a possibility.
Snelling proved an important thing through experiments. If gases like propane and butane are kept under sufficient pressure, they can be converted into liquid form. This process was based on two things. One- to increase the pressure and two- to control the temperature. As pressure increases the gas molecules come closer. They take liquid form. As soon as the pressure decreases, they become gas again. This principle later became the basis of LPG and gradually became a need of the common man.
Got the name Liquefied Petroleum Gas i.e. LPG
When these gases were made liquid under pressure, they were named Liquefied Petroleum Gas i.e.LPG. This was gas derived from petroleum. Which could be stored in liquid form. This discovery was not just a chemical discovery. This was a new chapter in the field of energy. Liquifying the gas was an achievement but keeping it safe was an even bigger challenge. If the container is not strong then the gas will come out. There will be a risk of accident. Snelling and other engineers developed stronger metal cylinders. These cylinders could withstand high pressure. Valves were installed in these so that gas could come out in controlled quantity when needed. It is from here that the concept of LPG cylinder developed.
Starting from industries, LPG reached every home.
Initially LPG was used in industries for heating. It also started being used as fuel in remote areas, where pipeline gas was not available. Gradually its benefits became clear. It burned clearly. There was no smoke. Odor could be controlled. The energy density was high. Then the path opened till the kitchen. Cooking with wood and coal was time consuming. The smoke was injurious to health. LPG solved this problem.
Lines for cooking gas.
Change in the lives of rural to urban women
LPG cylinder brought a big change in the lives of women. Cooking speeded up. The kitchen got cleaned. Diseases caused by smoke reduced. It became a convenient fuel for small houses in cities. It became a symbol of modern energy in the villages. Today LPG is used in crores of homes in the world. It is being used everywhere in restaurants, dhabas, industries.
Also know about Walter Snelling
Walter O. Snelling was born in Washington DC in 1880. He was interested in science since childhood. He received education in chemistry. He was a curious and patient scientist. Used to take even small problems seriously. He did not desire fame. His goal was to find a solution to the problem. His discovery came to light around the year 1910. Later, companies played a role in the production and marketing of LPG. Snelling died in 1965. By then his discovery had spread all over the world.
Simple question and extraordinary results
If the car owner had not come with the complaint that day, perhaps this discovery would have been delayed. If Snelling had ignored that problem, perhaps the development of LPG would have been avoided. This story teaches us that science often begins with curiosity. Small questions can bring big changes. Today, when we light a gas stove, we see only a blue flame, but behind it lies a century-old discovery. Disappearing petrol, a curious scientist and a fuel that changed kitchens around the world. This is the whole story of discovery of LPG from leakage of petrol.
Also read: How does LPG come to India from a distance of 2500 km, why is it ordered in liquid form?