Improvements in the Manufacture of Acetylene Gas, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 17th Mar, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1897--Accepted, 1st May, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Acetylene Gas, and in
Apparatus therefor.
We, GUSTAVE PEREIRE, Banker, of 35 Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré, Paris,
ERNEST SOREL, Chemist, of 93 Avenue d'Orleans, Paris, and BAPTISTIN
CRUVELLIER, Engineer, of 2 Place de la Rotonde, Marseilles, all in the Republic
of France, 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 :-
The process for the manufacture of acetylene gas according to this invention is
based upon the reaction of carbide of calcium upon water in a state of vapour.
The methods at present in use are on the contrary based upon the action of.
liquid water and they permit therefore the contact of the calcium carbide which is
an easily decomposable body with a large quantity of water.
Consequently there is always a liability to the production of a quantity of
acetylene out of all proportion to what is required; to the consequent compression
of the gas and to all accidents caused by the detonation of this compressed gas
owing to the local superheating of a fragment of carbide to the temperature of
decomposition.
By this process on the contrary which is based upon the use of steam, there is
only a very limited quantity of water in presence of the carbide, the action
instantaneously stops as soon as the steam ceases to flow either by the closing of a
cock or by the action of a steam regulator, lastly as the action of the steam is
exercised upon the whole mass at the same time, no local superheating which may
lead to an explosive decomposition can be produced.
The reaction is therefore conducted at a relatively low temperature with perfect
regularity provided that the lime in the form of a dry powder which is produced
by the reaction is prevented from covering the unattached fragments.
These conditions may be realized in the apparatus hereinafter described which
may be modified as found necessary.
1. Fixed retort. Figure 1 is a section ou the line a 6 of Figure 2 and Figure 2
is a section on the line c d of Figure 1.
This retort which is shown as horizontal but which may be inclined, contains a
metal box A provided with a grating B upon which a given weight of carbide of
calcium is placed. When the retort is closed, steam is led in through the perforated
pipe C fixed in a channel in the retort; the channel is provided with an outlet for
any water condensed. As soon as the reaction commences the fragments of carbide
swell slightly and the lime powder falls to the bottom of the box, leaving the.
surface of the carbide free.

page_text: Several retorts may be placed in a battery according to the size of the installation
and in such a manner as to utilize the traces of steam passing over with the gas.
2. Drum shaped retort. Figure 3 is a section on the line a b of Figure 4 and
Figure 4 a section on the line c d of Figure 3.
In the second arrangement the separation of the lime and the carbide is
mechanically produced by bolting; the operation is continuous. The carbide
introduced at fixed intervals of time by the means of two doors D D or by a
suitable distributor is projected into the interior of the bolter or drum H; it
delivers acetylene gas by the action of the steam and the dry lime powder passes
through the sides of the said drum and falls into the trunk of the cone E from
whence it is withdrawn by the two doors F or other appropriate extractor. Steam
passes in by the pipe G.
3. In Figure 5 a vertical retort is shown with a mechanical agitator. A
truncated cone I with a vertical axis serves as a retort; it is closed at the bottom
with a fine grating J through which the lime can fall.
It is charged and emptied as above described. In order to prevent the lime
from clogging the interstices of the carbide, a vertical axis provided with an
interrupted screw arm L is put into continuous movement by means of a handle
and pinions, which agitates the mass and causes the carbide to fall.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The use of steam in the production of acetylene gas.
2. Apparatus substantially as described for causing the steam to react upon the
carbide.
Dated this 17th day of March 1897.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.