Indian acetylene generator.

[wristpin]

Flicked onto a TV prog where there was a guy in India building a quad using two Royal Enfield engines and a variety of other bits. He was visiting a back street metal working shop where, up on the flat roof, they were generating their own Acetylene by stuffing lumps of calcium carbide into the bottom of a "generator" that looked a bit like a wood burning stove with a floating pressure vessel on top which went up and down like the old town gas holders and presumably maintained the pressure to the gun.
No mention of H and S or insurance premiums!

 

[Parm]

Flicked onto a TV prog where there was a guy in India building a quad using two Royal Enfield engines and a variety of other bits. He was visiting a back street metal working shop where, up on the flat roof, they were generating their own Acetylene by stuffing lumps of calcium carbide into the bottom of a "generator" that looked a bit like a wood burning stove with a floating pressure vessel on top which went up and down like the old town gas holders and presumably maintained the pressure to the gun.
No mention of H and S or insurance premiums!

I saw one of those contraptions a few years ago on a visit to India. proper scary stuff

 

[Fazerruss]

I also found this interesting. You can buy calcium carbide on ebay, so all you need then is an oxygen concentrator and now no need for welding gas cylinder contract!

 

[brightspark]

I also found this interesting. You can buy calcium carbide on ebay, so all you need then is an oxygen concentrator and now no need for welding gas cylinder contract!

but would u realy want to is your life worth more than a few quid

 

[Fazerruss]

but would u realy want to is your life worth more than a few quid

I was just fascinated that you can produce acetylene with such a low tech device. I love these old contraptions used in less developed areas

 

[brightspark]

I was just fascinated that you can produce acetylene with such a low tech device. I love these old contraptions used in less developed areas

u can create explosives with diesel and nitroprill but I wouldn't bother

 

[AndyStobbs]

I was just fascinated that you can produce acetylene with such a low tech device. I love these old contraptions used in less developed areas

You know something is low tech when it can be used in a bike light.

 

[Bill Edwards]

Yes, there used to be lamps which used calcium carbide to generate the gas to burn - a slightly worrying thought really.

I wonder how acetylene is made in the big plants for putting into cylinders, is this also done with calcium carbide or are there other methods used?

 

[MattF]

Yes, there used to be lamps which used calcium carbide to generate the gas to burn - a slightly worrying thought really.

I still need to get round to having a play with that one of mine.

 

[the snooper]

I used to have a contraption, it was Italian and the size of a small buzzbox it had a small gas torch oxy acetylene type and the unit its self had at least a couple of plastic cylinders in it, the oxygen gas pipe ran straight through so I assume you could generate your own acetylene in it, I never tried and either gave it away or binned it, I found one identical on the net years ago but cant find it now

 

[TechnicAl]

I seem to remember that its basically made the same using Calcium Carbide but I think there are other chemicals involved to make the process more productive and probably more dangerous.

But its a long time ago and my memory isnt what it was

 

[julianthegypsy]

This is what is used all over asia, and probably africa as well. It's very low pressure, typically 2psi, and you need a different torch for the low pressure, but it works very well, and is probably a lot less dangerous than having a couple of hundred pounds pressure in a bottle should anything go wrong!

 

[Maker]

I think it's produced industrially using this method, inside huge bunkers, way out in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Seadog]

This is what is used all over asia, and probably africa as well. It's very low pressure, typically 2psi, and you need a different torch for the low pressure, but it works very well, and is probably a lot less dangerous than having a couple of hundred pounds pressure in a bottle should anything go wrong!

The thing about acetylene is that above 8 psi it becomes very unstable and starts to break down into its components, very quickly! Hence the reason it's dissolved in acetone with a filler when bottled.

 

[TechnicAl]

I think it's produced industrially using this method, inside huge bunkers, way out in the middle of nowhere.

Thats right

Middle of nowhere places like Grimsby........

http://www.boconline.co.uk/en/news-and-media/press_releases/news2015-10-29.html

 

[Maker]

Thats right

Middle of nowhere places like Grimsby........

http://www.boconline.co.uk/en/news-and-media/press_releases/news2015-10-29.html

It would become the middle of nowhere if there was an accident.

According to wiki I was wrong, it's not produced industrially from calcium carbide but from "partial combustion of methane" and also as a side product of cracking.

 

[TechnicAl]

It would become the middle of nowhere if there was an accident.

According to wiki I was wrong, it's not produced industrially from calcium carbide but from "partial combustion of methane" and also as a side product of cracking.

Youve obviously never been to Immingham........

I didnt know the Methane thing either

 

[octo0072000]

you would lose a mile of Doncaster if the aerosol plant went up and that's next to the retail park

minimum turn out for fire engines is 10

 

[TechnicAl]

you would lose a mile of Doncaster if the aerosol plant went up and that's next to the retail park

minimum turn out for fire engines is 10

So about £15 worth of damage then...........

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

The thing about acetylene is that above 8 psi it becomes very unstable and starts to break down into its components, very quickly! Hence the reason it's dissolved in acetone with a filler when bottled.

I always thought 15psi was the max safe pressure.