Gas Comparison Chart

This is an interesting table which shows some characteristics of different gas flames as they come out of a torch.

This chart compares the flames you would find coming out of a standard hand-held torch.

	Butane	Propane	MAPP	Acetylene
Flame Temperature in Air (�F)	3,200	3,450	3,650	4,350
Total Heating Value (BTU/CuFt)	3,374	2,498	2,406	1,470
Primary Combustion Heating Value (BTU/CuFt)	315	255	517	507
Specific Gravity of Gas in Air	2.076	1.52	1.48	0.906
Pounds Per Gallon	4.7	4.24	4.8	N/A
Explosive Limits in Air (%)	1.9 - 8.5	2.2 - 9.5	3.4 - 10.8	2.5 - 80.00
Toxicity	Low	Low	Low	Low
Shock Sensitivity	Stable	Stable	Stable	Unstable
Tendency to Backfire	Slight	Slight	Slight to Moderate	Considerable
Vapor Pressure @ 70�F	30	125	120	250
Reactions to Backfire	Few Restrictions	Few Restrictions	Avoid unalloyed Silver, Alloys containing more than 67% Copper & Magnesium	Avoid alloys with more than 67% Copper