[el worthy] unsaturated HYDROCARBONS FROM NATURAL GAS 107 



The exit gases were examined for acetylene by the delicate 

 method of E. R. Weaver^ which depends on the formation of a brilliant 

 red colloidal solution of cuprous acetylide. As little as 0.03 per cent, 

 acetylene could be detected, but none was ever found in the exit gases 

 under the conditions used. 



The volumetric bromine absorption method of determining 

 ethylene was used to check the more rapid gas analysis method. 



To obtain more information on the nature of the unsaturated 

 hydrocarbons formed, the exit gases were led through two wash 

 bottles containing bromine co\'ered by a layer of water and finally 

 through one containing bromine water. The three bottles were 

 cooled to about 5°C. 



Results 



A number of experiments were carried out, trying different 



catalyst temperatures and various catalyst volumes and flow rates. 



It was evident, after the preliminary tests, that only small quantities 



of unsaturated hydrocarbons were present in the gases which had 



passed through the catalyst at 400-500°C., and that the best results 



would be obtained at about 800° as the following figures show: 



Space velocity litres gas per litre catalyst space per hour 



(a) 104 (è) 203 (c) 420 



In the two following series complete analyses were made of the 

 initial and exit gases: 



Gas Analyses 



^Jour. Amer. Chem. Soc. 38, 352, 1916. 



