Preparation Of Acetylene From Calcium Carbide

Acetylene, also known as ethyne, is the most basic and well-known member of the hydrocarbon series containing one or more pairs of carbon atoms linked by triple bonds, also known as the acetylenic series, or alkynes. It is the simplest and best-known member of the hydrocarbon series containing one or more pairs of carbon atoms linked by triple bonds, also known as the alkynes. In addition to being used as a fuel in oxyacetylene welding and metal cutting, it is also employed as a raw ingredient in the synthesis of many organic compounds and polymers. Its chemical formula is C₂H₂, and it is a colourless, inflammable gas. acetylene can be created in one of three ways: by the interaction of water with calcium carbide, through the passage of a hydrocarbon through an electric arc, or through the partial combustion of methane in the presence of air or oxygen.

Acetylene Compound

acetylene, in its pure form, is a colourless gas with a nice odour; but, when it is made from calcium carbide, it often contains residues of phosphine, which gives off an unpleasant garlic-like odour. With the release of heat, acetylene may be broken down into its constituent parts. Depending on the circumstances, an explosion may or may not result from the decomposition process. Pure acetylene, whether in liquid or solid form, bursts with tremendous force when subjected to pressures in excess of around 15 pounds per square inch.

Air and acetylene mixtures are explosive across a wide range of concentrations, ranging from around 2.5 percent air in acetylene to approximately 12.5 percent acetylene in air. A clean, white light is produced when acetylene is burnt with the appropriate quantity of air; as a result, it was once used to illuminate areas where electric power was not accessible, such as buoys, miners’ lamps, and road signs. The burning of acetylene generates a significant amount of heat, and the oxyacetylene flame produced by a correctly built torch has the greatest flame temperature (about 6,000°F, or 3,300°C) of any known combination of combustible gases (approximately 6,000°F, or 3,300°C).

Acetylene may have its hydrogen atoms replaced by metallic elements, resulting in the formation of acetylides, such as silver, copper, and sodium acetylides. Acetylides of silver, copper, mercury, and gold detonate as a result of high temperatures, friction, and shock. Apart from the reactive hydrogen atom, the carbon–carbon triple bond has the ability to readily accept halogens, halogen acids, hydrogen cyanide, alcohols, amines, and amides as co-reaction partners. Acetylene can also be used to combine with other compounds such as aldehydes and ketones. Many of the reactions described here are used in the commercial manufacture of a wide range of industrial and consumer products, including acetaldehyde, the synthetic rubber neoprene, water-based paints, vinyl fabric and floor coverings, dry-cleaning solvents, and aerosol insecticide sprays, among other things. acetylene can be created in one of three ways: by the interaction of water with calcium carbide, through the passage of a hydrocarbon through an electric arc, or through the partial combustion of methane in the presence of air or oxygen.

Production of Acetylene from Calcium Carbide

Acetylene, often known as “ethyne,” is a chemical compound composed of two hydrogen atoms and two carbon atoms that has the chemical formula C₂H₂. There are two processes by which this hydrocarbon is produced: chemical reaction or thermal cracking, both of which use distinct types of raw materials to accomplish their goals.

Acrylonitrile is produced commercially from calcium carbide, which has the chemical formula CaC₂. It is the most widely used raw material in acetylene manufacturing. Calcium carbide is typically made by combining lime and coke in a blast furnace, and then the calcium carbide that is produced is used as a fuel.

When calcium carbide is treated with water, it has a tendency to create acetylene gas, which may be demonstrated by the balanced chemical equations provided below.

The following stages are involved in the production of acetylene from calcium carbide:

Making fast lime (with the chemical formula CaO) from calcium carbonate (i.e. CaCO₃) is a simple process.

CaCO₃→CaO + CO₂

– Preparation of calcium carbide from quick lime (CaO) in the presence of coke (C) by heating the mixture: CaO + 3C → CaC₂ + CO

The following is the procedure for making acetylene by reacting calcium carbide with water (a process known as hydrolysis of calcium carbide):

CaC₂ + 2H₂O → C₂H₂ + Ca(OH)₂

Acetylene may be produced from calcium carbide by reacting the calcium carbide with water, and the balanced chemical reaction of this process is represented by the following equation:

CaC₂ + 2H₂O → C₂H₂ + Ca(OH)₂

Conclusion

Many of the reactions described here are used in the commercial manufacture of a wide range of industrial and consumer products, including acetaldehyde, the synthetic rubber neoprene, water-based paints, vinyl fabric and floor coverings, dry-cleaning solvents, and aerosol insecticide sprays, among other things. acetylene can be created in one of three ways: by the interaction of water with calcium carbide, through the passage of a hydrocarbon through an electric arc, or through the partial combustion of methane in the presence of air or oxygen.