Not having a natural gas blue flame color or an LPG propane blue flame color, and having yellow or red flames instead, could be indicative of an appliance problem. A natural gas blue flame indicates that the burner is providing the correct air-fuel mixture, with sufficient oxygen for complete combustion at the burner.
A blue flame burns the fuel completely producing carbon dioxide, water and heat. Natural gas burns with a blue flame colour, with complete combustion. LPG propane also burns with a blue flame colour. See the flame color temperature chart below. You get a blue gas flame with a hydrocarbon gas when you have enough oxygen for complete combustion. When you do have sufficient oxygen, the gas flame appears blue because complete combustion creates enough energy to excite and ionize the gas molecules in the flame.
What colour is natural gas can be answered in two ways. Natural gas itself is a colourless gas whilst a natural gas flame burns with a blue colour. Gas that burns with a blue flame includes pure hydrocarbons like methane refined natural gas , propane, butane and ethane. These gases come from raw natural gas processing and oil refining. These gases are all alkanes and are gas with a blue flame.
LPG — propane — and natural gas methane gas both burn with a blue flame color. Red flames or propane-natural gas flame color orange, instead of a blue flame, may mean signs of incomplete combustion, wasted gas and a serious safety hazard. With hydrocarbon flames, such as gas, the amount of oxygen supplied with the gas determines the rate of gas combustion, flame colour and temperature.
In all but exceptional cases, like decorative LPG-propane gas fireplace flame colour, you always want a blue flame colour from a gas appliance burner.
On the following gas flame color temperature chart fire color chart , red flames or a yellow natural gas or LPG — propane gas flame color is indicative of incomplete combustion and carbon monoxide emissions. As it relates to hydrocarbon gases, blue flame is indicative of complete combustion whilst a yellow flame indicates incomplete combustion. The flame colour changes to orange, yellow or red flame and the flame wavers. Natural gas flame color orange indicates incomplete combustion. See the flame color temperature chart below:.
Propane gas furnace flame color is the same as propane flame color. A gas fireplace flame color is yellow or red flames and is the exception to the rule. Gas fireplace flame color is typically designed to burn with red flames, not blue flame, for a more natural look. Wood logs do not burn with a blue flame colour, so a gas fireplace needs yellow or red flames for a realistic look and feel.
Most fires are the result of a chemical reaction between a fuel and oxygen called combustion. Temperatures gradually rise during combustion and flames occur once the temperature rises to the point for the fuel to vaporize and combine with oxygen. Orange is the most common color for flames. It comes from the burning of carbon which is found in wood, paper, charcoal, gas, etc. When any carbon-containing fuel source is burned, minute carbon particles are released in the flame.
The particles are illuminated by the flames creating the appearance of orange flames. As the fire burns, some of the carbon-containing fuel sources may not burn completely. Haystacks, compost heaps, and even piles of old newspapers and magazines can also burst into flame. A good reason to recycle Discover when you are done. Register or Log In. The Magazine Shop. Login Register Stay Curious Subscribe. The Sciences. Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news.
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Wonder What's Next? Be sure to grab a friend or family member to help you check out the following activities: Do you have a gas stove at home? If not, find a friend or family member who has one. Ask an adult friend or family member to help you operate the gas stove so that you can see what the flames look like and how quickly they can heat a pot of water to the boiling point. How do the flames change in both size and appearance when you change the burner setting from low to high?
What do you know about natural gas? You might already know that it's a fossil fuel, but there is so much more to know about this popular fuel. Be sure to check out Fun Facts about Natural Gas online to learn more. For example, many people think natural gas smells bad, but it's actually odorless. Can you explain how these two views can both be true? Up for a challenge? If you have access to a few necessary ingredients and the help of an adult friend or family member, jump online and try out the Flame Test — Colorful Elements.
Make sure to be very careful when conducting this experiment! Do the results surprise you? Share what you learn with a friend. Did you get it? Test your knowledge. What are you wondering? Wonder Words fire flame color burn hue fuel roasting perfection flicker hover reaction chemical entranced combustion composition temperature oxidant compound Take the Wonder Word Challenge.
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