What is propane?

Propane, also known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), is a liquefied gas stored at ambient temperatures and is converted to a liquid when compressed or cooled. Propane has many uses for everyday life but is commonly used to heat residential homes and businesses as well as fueling private vehicles and fleets.

Transportation methods for propane

Unlike natural gas which is delivered via pipeline, propane is transported under pressure by tank car, tanker ship, transport truck and local delivery trucks better known as bobtails. The common size of a Propane Transport tank is approximately 11,000 gallons and the bobtail is typically around 5,000 gallons. Propane delivery trucks are used to supply local propane dealers that do not have access to tank car unloading or individual home owners primarily in rural areas that use propane for heating and cooking due to the absence of a natural gas pipeline in their area.

Pumps selections for propane delivery trucks

Corken has a long history of providing sliding vane pumps for Propane Delivery Trucks (e.g. bobtails). Currently these pumps are designated as our “Z” model line that consists of the Z4200, Z3200, and Z2000.

The propane transport typically uses a Z4200 (4” ANSI flange inlet) Coro-Vane pump mounted directly to the bottom of the tank and a bobtail typically uses a Z3200 (3” ANSI flange inlet) Coro-Vane pump mounted directly to the bottom of the tank. The bobtail can also use a Z2000 (2” NPT inlet) foot-mounted pump mounted on the chassis of the truck and piped to the bottom of the tank. These pumps are driven either by a PTO connection coming from the truck’s engine or by a hydraulic motor direct mounted to the pump. There would be a hydraulic pump system mounted on the truck to drive the motor on the pump.

The trucks are also equipped with meters that measure the amount of gas being dispensed for point of custody transfer and/or billing purposes.

Benefits of using a sliding vane pump

• Internal relief valve is pre-set at the factory.
• Delivers high pumping efficiency and low noise.
• The self-adjusting vanes improve the pumping performance by compensating for wear.
• The hydraulic drive option makes tight spaces a reality with a small compact package.
• The patented thrust bearing design makes the Z-model one of the most durable and long lasting truck pumps on the market.