Propane vs Natural Gas Flame

A comparison of the flame characteristics.

[KieraCameron]

Heating value:
Propane: 46 megajoules/kilogram
Natural gas: 55 megajoules/kilogram

[jonsymanyk]

Which one is hotter depends on how you are measuring it. Per molecule or per volume, propane burns hotter because it has more bonds per molecule that are releasing energy, propane has 3 carbons vs 1 carbon in methane. Both gases occupy the same volume when other variables are held constant.
Per kilogram, natural gas burns hotter because there are more molecules of natural gas in a kilogram compared to propane, propane is a heavier molecule.

[anthonyperkins]

Propane is hotter than natural gas and has a higher energy value being derived from oil.

Yellow tips and soot on a cooker or boiling ring or BBQ or patio heater running on propane isn't normal and are an indicator of poor gas / air mix.

Propane gas at 37mbar pressure needs more air to burn cleanly as does butane gas at 28-30mbar pressure to avoid black sooty dirty burning and staining to pans kettles and utensils on a hob or cooker, although BBQ / patio heater / grill / oven burners on butane at 28-30mbar pressure do produce a very slight visible yellow tipping at the top of the flame, but this is ok as long as the flame doesn't emit soot or carbon deposits or cause blacking.

[JM-yxlm]

cool man but you should show how it looks when mixed with air like on a stove burner

[Omengrind]

Been trying to research this and the video is interesting (not trying to be "that" guy or a know it all) but the claim that natural burns hotter than propane that you made is rather contradicted by other sources like BBQ and gas suppliers... I just read earlier that Natural gas going through a BBQ has to have specific fittings to allow more gas to pass through and burn about equal in heat to Propane. That in turn makes Natural gas burn hotter at the sacrifice of units it uses (eg gas per litre or whatever it's measured on). I guess that makes sense as the propane flame as you had shown was more intense... Be interesting if you could test the heat of both flames somehow.

[ellenorbjornsdottir]

You should use a torch system rather than a candle system

[baderalaraimi]

Does the natural gas smells like fart? 🤭