What are the disadvantages in using propane as a fuel gas? I have heard that you have to use heaters to vaporize the gas in the lines and you end up wasting some as well.

Can anyone list the disadvantages of using propane and maybe the advantages. The only advantage I have heard is that the gas is cheap and readily available.

Isn't H2 a better overall gas to use?

Thanks for any input.

Hi Intel55

Sorry for the delay in responding

Well I suppose you could say propane has a problem with low vapour pressure compared to hydrogen, giving problems with liquid propane forming in the lines and keeping consistent pressure. But these problems can be overcome by using vaporisers.

Hydrogen burns cleaner and slightly hotter, usually produces higher velocity spraying and with some coatings has the edge on coating quality.

One cylinder of hydrogen requires about 1/2 cylinder of oxygen, while one cylinder of propane requires roughly 5 cylinders of oxygen for complete combustion. Roughly you need 10X more hydrogen by volume for spraying than propane (oxygen roughly the same). Hence propane has one very big advantage - cost.

So I would conclude that hydrogen is not necessarily the better overall gas to use and would only recommend its use on some coatings where absolute high quality is demanded.

It would be interesting to hear opinions from those that regularly use both fuels.

Depending on where you are in the world, methane may be another option for you to consider.

In some countries (India for example), methane is widely available and I believe at a reasonable cost. Some HVOF systems are capable to run on methane and provide coatings that are of similar quality to liquid fuel or hydrogen fuel systems with the obvious cost benefits over hydrogen. Also, in some countries, the 'town gas' supply can be compressed and used to run an HVOF system which is again, a cost effective alternative.