Industrial uses of LPG: drying, firing, heating, metal cutting and forklifts

Liquefied petroleum gas is not only used for cooking; it is also a familiar heat source in factories. This article sums up the common industrial uses of LPG, its advantages, the gas supply options and the safety points that owners of production facilities need to know. If you are not yet clear on the concept, first read what is LPG.

Which industries use LPG?

Drying farm produce and seafood

Dryers use gas burners to dry coffee, cashew nuts, pepper, fruit and seafood. Heat from gas produces little smoke and odour; the temperature can be adjusted for each batch, helping products dry evenly.

Firing ceramics and glass

Gas kilns allow the temperature to be raised, held and lowered according to a preset schedule — an important factor for glaze quality. Many pottery workshops have switched from coal-fired to gas kilns to cut smoke and dust and make each firing easier to control. Glass workshops also use gas burners for heating, bending and annealing.

Process heating

LPG supplies heat to small boilers, hot-dip tanks, shrink-wrap machines, heat presses and heating systems for factories and livestock housing. Equipment reaches temperature quickly and can be switched off as soon as it is not needed.

Metal cutting and brazing

Engineering workshops use gas with oxygen to cut steel plate and sections and to braze copper pipes and small parts. Cutting torches, flashback arrestors and hoses of the correct type designed for gas must be used.

Gas-powered forklifts

LPG forklifts are common in warehouses because their exhaust is cleaner than that of diesel forklifts and cylinders can be changed quickly. Forklift cylinders are a specialised type designed to the forklift manufacturer’s specifications.

Bakeries and food processing

Baking ovens, industrial cooking pots and frying and roasting lines use gas because the flame is strong and clean. Canteens are also major gas users.

Powder coating curing ovens

After powder is sprayed on, metal parts go into a curing oven so the coating melts and hardens; the oven uses gas burners that heat up quickly and hold a stable temperature. The LPG cylinder powder coating process also needs this curing stage.

Advantages of LPG in production

• Clean burning: little smoke and soot compared with coal, wood and oil.
• Easy to control: the flame can be adjusted quickly and is easily combined with automatic temperature controllers.
• Independent of the power grid: can be used where the electricity supply is weak or as a back-up heat source.

Supplying gas to a factory: cylinder manifold or storage tank?

Small to medium consumption is usually served by a manifold of 45kg cylinders, which needs low investment and is quick to set up; facilities with large, continuous consumption usually use a storage tank filled by tanker truck, which must be designed, approved, installed, inspected and accepted under current regulations by a properly qualified organisation. How to choose between the two, how to set up standby cylinder groups and how to stop cylinders frosting over are covered in gas for industrial kitchens; for the features of each cylinder size, see common types of gas cylinders.

Safety points when using gas in a factory

• The area where cylinders or tanks are placed must be well ventilated and kept separate from areas with flames.
• Burning equipment should have a safety valve that cuts off the gas when the flame goes out.
• Check for leaks with soapy water or a dedicated device; never use a flame.
• Only use cylinders that are within their inspection date and are not deeply rusted or dented.
• If you smell gas: do not switch electrical equipment on or off, close the valve, ventilate the area, leave it and call the fire service on 114 from a safe place.

When weighing up fuel options for a factory, businesses may also come across LNG or CNG; our article on the differences between LPG, LNG and CNG compares storage, transport, typical users and the safety points for each.

If you are weighing up a gas supply for a production facility, our article on how industrial and household gas differ compares cylinder formats, propane–butane ratios, regulators and installation requirements for each type.

Frequently asked questions

Written by the VietnhatGas technical and sales team — a batch manufacturer of LPG cylinders. This content is for reference; regulations and standards may change, so please check the current texts.