Ethane

EthaneProduct information Quality code 2.0 3.0 3.8 Purity % volume >99 >99.9 >99.98 Impurities ppm (where nothing else stated) C2H4 <50 <5 Other CnHm <0.7% <815 <45 N2 <50 <30 <20 O2 <10 General information Filling pressure at 15 C, bar: 33.8 Material recommendations: No restrictions. Characteristics Highly flammable. Liquefied, odourless, colourless gas. Health risks Asphyxiating. Contact with the liquid can cause frost-bite. Transport ADR Class 2, 5(b) Physical data Molecular weight: 30.07Boiling point at 1.013 bar, C: -88.6Density (1.013 bar, 15 C) kg/m3: 1.28Vapour pressure at 0 C, bar: 23.920 C, bar: 37.5Flammability range in air, % (volume): 3.0-12.4Specific volume (1.013 bar, 15 C), m3/kg: 0.780 Source The main commercial source of ethane is natural gas. Ethane is isolated either by absorption or by partial condensation, followed by distillation. Relatively small amounts of ethane are also produced as by-products from petroleum processes. Applications The main industrial use for ethane is the production of ethene by steam-cracking.It is commonly used as a raw material for the manufacture of halogenated ethaneEthane is used in the chemical industry for the production of ethanol, ethylenoxide, glycol, acetaldehyde, vinyl acetate, ethyl chloride, dichloroethane, styrene, polyethene, termo- polymers.Ethane is used as a refrigerant for extremely low temperature refrigerating systems.Ethane is used in metallurgy for heat treatments.Ethane is used as a calibration gas and for combustion research.Ethane is used in calibration mixtures to the automotive industry.