NO Sulfur

Isn't Mercaptan used to provide the odor for natural gas? If so, it
contains sulfur.

What is Mercaptan?
Natural gas in its native state is colorless and odorless. Mercaptan
is the additive that is added to natural gas to make it easier to
detect in case of a leak. The most important thing to know about
mercaptan is that it stinks. Some people compare it to the smell of
rotten eggs.

In a concentrated form, its smell is almost unbearable. And it takes
only a few parts per million of mercaptan to give natural gas a smell.
That is precisely why we add it to natural gas. If we did not add
mercaptan, it would be hard for you to know that unlit natural gas was
coming from your stove after you left the valve turned on. And leaks
from furnaces and hot water heaters would be nearly impossible to
detect without expensive equipment. So mercaptan's smell is a very
valuable safety feature.

Mercaptans contain sulfur. That's what makes them smell. The kind we
use blends well with natural gas and, in a gaseous state, has much the
same properties as natural gas, so it will also rise and dissipate
with natural gas.

There are other uses for mercaptans in industry, including jet fuel,
pharmaceuticals and livestock feed additives. They are used in many
chemical plants. Mercaptans are less corrosive and less toxic than
similar sulfur compounds found naturally in rotten eggs, onions,
garlic, skunks, and, of course, bad breath. In other word, forms of
mercaptan can be found in things that smell.

Source:
http://www.columbiagaspamd.com/commu.../mercaptan.htm

Jim
Zone 8a - Dallas, Texas
Pond, Veggie Filter, Pond Maintenance & Pond Tour Pics:
http://community.webshots.com/user/dallas75248

On Fri, 09 Jan 2004 01:56:33 -0500, in rec.ponds you wrote:

Jim wrote:
How about if I run black gas pipe out to the the back end of the pond,
put on a valve there, then something like icemaker tubing into the
pond so that gas bubbles up near the center, then light it.


Does natural gas contain sulfur? If so, I seem to recall something
about Sulfur Dioxide (poison) or Hydrogen Sulfide (rotten egg smell)
being a possible byproduct when mixed with water. I'm sure some of
our chemistry experts will chime in on this one, as I've forgotten
much more about chemistry than I remember.

Jim
Zone 8a - Dallas, Texas
Pond, Veggie Filter, Pond Maintenance & Pond Tour Pics:
http://community.webshots.com/user/dallas75248

ELEMENTS OF COMBUSTION OF NATURAL GAS

1 ft3 natural gas + 10 ft3 air + flame =
8 ft3 nitrogen +1 ft3 carbon dioxide + 2 ft3 water vapor


Gas + Air = Nitrogen + Carbon Dioxide + Water Vapor

NO Sulfur

Chagoi