Improvements in Means for Using Calcium Carbide for the purpose of Generating Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1898

page_text: Cate of Application, 11th July, 1898-Accepted, 10th Sept.. 1898
VUMILIE DI DUIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Using Calcium Carbide for the purpose
of Generating Acetylene Gas.
I, GUSTAF DILLBERG, of 77, Elizabeth Street, Sydney, New South Wales,
Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object improvements in connection with the treatment
of calcium carbide, either in its original form, or when granulated and mixed
with foreign ingredients or otherwise, and compressed in a mould into some
desired shape of pre-arranged density and gas producing richness. It is well
known that calcium carbide when in contact with water evolves a combustible
gas of intense brilliancy and illuminating power, generally known as acetylene.
The great brilliancy of this gas when combusted is caused by its extreme richness
in carbon, a richness which is a source of considerable trouble as well as an
advantage.
If the gas generated be permitted to be liberated above the water, either by
means of a portion of the calcium carbide being above the water, or intermittently
withdrawn from it, or the water is withdrawn from the carbide, or the water is
allowed to drip or trickle on the carbide, or otherwise be fed in regulated small
quantities, the gas thus evolved is extremely liable to choke up the burners
in a very short time. Should the gas be generated by totally immersing the
carbide in water, globules of gas are at once evolved which rapidly rise to the
surface of the water, each globule being a bubble of gas coated with lime and
other impurities, many of which do not break when they reach the surface,
where they accumulate into a rapidly increasing froth which quickly fills any
aperture through which the acetylene gas is expected to be conveyed to the
burners. Thus to practically use calcium carbide for the purpose of generating
acetylene gas, specially constructed generators are required, entailing the use
of more or less complicated mechanical devices, which naturally are always
liable to get out of order and become choked up either by froth or by excess
of carbon not consumed or deposited on surfaces in the transit of the acetylene
gas to the place of combustion. This invention is designed to obviate the
necessity of employing any mechanical devices, and to minimize to almost prohi-
bition the choking of any passage, burner, etc., through which the acetylene gas
has to pass before being combusted.
To accomplish this object I proceed as follows:
I employ an envelope of some porous material, such as canvas, calico, wire gauze
or the like, shaped as a bag, cylinder or otherwise as may be desired, in which
calcium carbide may be placed. Thus enclosed I immerse the envelope in water,
which water penetrates into the interior of said envelope where it acts upon the
enclosed calcium carbide, which immediately commences to decompose and evolve
acetylene gas. The bubbles thus formed naturally endeavour to rise to the surface of
the water, but by this method they encounter the resistance of the porous material
confining the carbide. Thus obstructed their filmy coating bursts and liberates
the gas which is then permitted to pass through the pores into the water where it

page_text: rises to and above the surface of same in a highly purified condition, whilst the
film with which the bubble was coated is retained in the envelope, and the
surplus carbon is retained in the water.
By this means the gas reaches the burners in a pure state thereby prolonging
the life of same very considerably, whilst the offensive odour of the gas is greatly
minimized. By employing such porous envelope no specially constructed generator
is required, as the carbide thus contained may be immersed in the water and kept
there without any attention whilst the gas is being generated.
A bottle, jar or any other containing vessel may be employed where such
a porous envelope is used, and no mechanical contrivances are requisite but a
tight-fitting cork or stopper or the like, through which a hole is pierced
to take the burner direct or a tube conveying the gas to the burner or
burners.
It is essential that the porous envelope and its contents be kept under water in
order that the gas may be purified by the porous envelope as well as by the water
before reaching the burner or burners.
As it is not imperative that the whole of the envelope be porous it may be
readily understood that the envelope referred to may partially consist of the walls
of the containing vessel itself, provided that below the water surface be placed a
porous division through which all the bubbles must pass before reaching the
water surface.
✓
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In combination with calcium carbide, an envelope of some porous material, in
which the said calcium carbide is to be enclosed, and the whole immersed in water
when it is desired to generate acetylene gas, substantially as herein described and
for the purpose set forth.
2. In combination with calcium carbide, a porous receptacle or division, placed
below the surface of water in a containing vessel through which material the
acetylene gas must pass before reaching the surface of the water, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 6th day of June 1898.