The sun., 1919-06-08

manufacture of carbide at Ngara
Falls and Sault ste. Mari and
throughout the world were dewped.
The discovery of calcium rbide
and acetylene and its use as 9 illu-
minant was quickly followed , the
development of other uses. whicwe
of vast Importance to indust and
civilization.
The words calcium carbide may
sound formidable to those not miliar
with chemistry, but when 1t isnder-
stood that calcium is one of b ele-
ments found in ordinary lime al that
1t occupies very much the san rela-
tionship to quicklime that the sment
iron occupies to iron ore, and tt car
bon is another element with with we
are perfectly familiar in the I'm OF
coal, coke and charcoal. we nit say
that the ingredients or chemh ele-
ments combined in calcium earle are
commonplace.
But the fact is that no elernt, II
understood, can ever become ctmon-
place.
Calcium carbide is a true cmical
combination of calcium and arbon
brought together in q molten tie in
the electric furnace. The moltecom-
bination Is withdrawn from the mace
in much the same manner the
molten iron from the blast fnace,
and when cooled Is distinct sutance
resembling crushed stone, viii re-
mains unchanged until brought con-
tact with water, when ii imntly
forms acetylene. <
In order to bring the calciu into
the furnace we must find sable
| limestone. II the resultant acylene
Is to be pure the limestone mt be
pure. Here the chemist, the eineer
and the geologist combine their Tents
and the proper deposit is -four and
quarries are opened. Limestonshen
produced is crushed and Is tan to
the lime kiln, where it Is to be ans
formed into quicklime. The ime-
stone for calcium carbide is tan to
a steel tube about 200 feet lonsined
with fire brick and so large in dieter
that man could stand upright thin
| it. This tube is set ut an anglauch
as one would point a telescope a
star near the horizon. Into thepper
end the crushed limestone is ftand
the great tube is set rolling slow but
steadily. At the lower end OF thube,
enclosed in steel. is n revolvinfan-
like machine. heavily and solidlson-
structed. turning with extreme raiity.
Upon the blades of this fan q is
fed the humps are struck uch
vigorous blows by the revtng
paddles that they are instantly per-
lied. and this powder is forced In the
lower end of the lime kiln thrgh a
pipe. The coal, broken so flnelthat
1t has become an impalpabldust
mixed with air, has taken the
Mature of n gas. which Is ignit and
the limestone in the revolving onder
therefore, travelling in the terri heat
Of the gas. continues its journdrom
the top to the bottom Of the t. and
before 1t reaches the lower I'd is
changed into quickllme. The cium
is now in n suitable form to used
In the electric furnace for the oduc-
ton of the calcium part of lcium
carbide.
Theoretically any form ofarbon
might do. but that form which most
available at present is coke. ike is
used In enormous quantities. the
. manufacture of steel. After by
products have been driven ofbke is
changed into fixed carbon OF very
pure nature, which is especis suit
= able for use in the electric rnace.
We now have the calcium fr, lime
. stone and the carbon fromoai in
, the form of coke. BY means ohitable
mixers and conveyors the mure of
lime and coke Is delivered to cleo
trio furnace.
How few really know whate cleo
r trio furnace Is. without IL could
not have successfully conded the
!, war, for this industry PROBES not
only calcium carbide but mo Of the
wonderful alloys which, enteg into
, steel, make the hardened sis, the
: armor plate. guns, sc. Frome cleo.
s trio furnace also comes alumm anC
!. carborundum. from which m, OF the
grinding wheels are made. Are per.
fectly familiar with what is own a.
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