GB483601A - Process and apparatus for producing acetylene and lime hydrate - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0483601/IV/1> Acetylene and substantially dry calcium hydrate are made by a continuous process wherein calcium carbide is treated with an amount of water sufficiently large to react with the carbide but sufficiently small to produce a reaction temperature somewhat above the boiling point of water but below the decomposition temperature of acetylene, (i.e., below about 400 DEG C.), the reaction being effected in a chamber to which fresh carbide is continuously fed and through which the unreacted carbide and the calcium hydrate produced are positively conveyed, with agitation. As shown, carbide is fed from a hopper 15 by a screw 19 to a horizontal chamber 36 through which it is conveyed by paddles 35 and to which water is supplied through a pipe 41 and nozzles 47. The chamber 36 communicates with a second similar chamber 37, from which calcium hydrate is discharged to a hopper 33. The generated acetylene passes by way of pipe 50 through a dust-separator, 51 and cooler 56 to a gas holder, from which by way of a pipe 66 and seals 68, acetylene may return to the carbide hoppers and to the chamber 36 should a reduction in pressure occur. A modified apparatus is described, Figs. 3 and 4 (not shown), in which (a) means are provided for passing a cooling fluid through the shaft carrying the paddles 35, 35a, (b) the water is introduced tangentially into the chambers 36, 37 and (c) a number of pipes for the passage of the acetylene are provided along the top of each chamber. In a further modification, Fig. 5 (not shown), the water is introduced into the chambers 36, 37 from below.