Well, I am intrigued...

Following my husband's suggestions, I think the simplest way to
address the problem is that you evaluate the number of minutes of
burning that the entire process you describe needs to be completed
using some standard (kitchen?) burner.
I can give you the gas needed to use that burner at maximum power for
one minute.

I will give calculations for methane, which in the Italian kitchens is
now used more often than LPG.
You can use this calculation to compare and double-check the results
of your physicists for LPG.

A middle sized (3.5 kW) standard Italian kitchen burner burns about
0.35 m3 of methane per hour, which means about 4 g per minute (1m3 =
714 g). For LPG I think  it should be something around 4.5 g per
minute.

So if you estimate that the entire process you describe needs 10
minutes of that burner, then you need 40 g of methane or 45 g of LPG.
 If you think the process will need more than 10 minutes ( it's very
likely, to tell the truth I never sterilized a bottle in my life...and
the full process you describe seems more than that) it is easy for you
to adjust the numbers.

How it compares with your physicists methods? :-)

Micaela Notarangelo
LLL Italy

PS: BTW, if one wants to know how much CO2 is produced you have to
multiply by 2.75, since the combustion of 1 g of methane produces 2,75
g of CO2.
So, 10 minutes of combustion of a 3.5 kW methane burner produce 110 g
of CO2 (roughly what is produced by a very small and efficient car
travelling 1 km).
Lots of catch-phrases here for the creative ones of you. What about
"with every feed your little baby gives your Prius one eco-mile more"?


On Wed, Feb 16, 2011 at 8:04 AM, Karleen Gribble <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>
> I need someone to help me calculate how much liquid petroleum gas is
> required to heat the water required to reconstitute formula, sterilise
> feeding implements, wash feeding and preparation implements and clean
> surfaces (in an emergency). Physics was never my thing!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Karleen Gribble
>
> Australia
>
>
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