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The chemical compound acetylene, also called ethyne, was discovered in 1836 by Edmund Davy , in England; its chemical formula is C2 H2 and its structure is:
Acetylene is a colorless and extremely flammable gas at standard temperature and pressure with a garlic-like odor. Acetylene can violently decompose if the pressure of the gas exceeds 100 kPa in its free state, so it is shipped and stored dissolved in acetone. The majority of acetylene's chemical energy is contained in the carbon-carbon triple bond.
Above 400°C (which is quite low for a hydrocarbon), the pyrolysis of acetylene will start. The main products are the dimer vinylacetylene (C4H4) and benzene. At temperatures above 900°C, the main product will be soot.
The principal raw materials for acetylene manufacture are calcium carbonate ( limestoneshale overlaid by limestone. Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed of mineral calcite (calcium carbonate). The primary source of this calcite is usually marine organisms. These organisms secrete shells that settle out of t) and coalCoal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by mining. It is a readily combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock. It is composed primarily of carbon and hydrocarbons, along with assorted other elements, including sulfur. Often associated wi. The calcium carbonate is first converted into calcium oxide and the coal into cokeCoke is a solid carbonaceous residue derived from low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal from which the volatile constituents (including water, coal-gas and coal-tar) are driven off by baking in an airless oven at temperatures as high as 1,000 degrees Celsiu, then the two are reacted with each other to form calcium carbide and carbon monoxideCarbon monoxide chemical formula C O, is a colourless, odourless, flammable and highly toxic gas. It is a major product of the incomplete combustion of carbon and carbon-containing compounds. Sources Carbon monoxide has many common sources. The exhaust of:
CaO + 3C --> CaC2 + CO
Calcium carbide and water are then reacted by any of several methods to produce acetylene and calcium hydroxideCalcium hydroxide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Ca( OH). It is a colorless crystal or white powder, is created when calcium oxide (called lime but unrelated to the citrus fruit) is slaked with water; a traditional name for calcium hydro.
CaC2 + 2H2O --> Ca(OH)2 + C2H2
Acetylene can also be manufactured by the partial combustionCombustion or burning is an exothermic reaction between a substance and a gas to release heat. Combustion normally occurs in oxygen (often in the form of gaseous O) to form oxides, However, combustion can also take place in other gases like chlorine. of methaneProperties General Name Methane Lewis Structure: H | H-C-H | H Chemical formula C H Formula weight 16. 04 amu Synonyms Marsh gas; Methyl hydride CAS number 74-82-8 Phase behavior Melting point 90. 5 °C) Boiling point 111 K (-162°C) Triple point 90. 48°C) with oxygen, or by the cracking of hydrocarbons.
Approximately 80 percent of the acetylene produced annually in the United States is used in chemical synthesis. The remaining 20 percent is used primarily for oxyacetylene gas welding and cutting. Combustion with oxygen produces a flame of over 3300ºC, releasing 11,800 J/g.
