THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATIOtJ i3 



Ca O + 3C = Ca C2 + C O 



87 >^ lbs + 5614:= ioo+43^1bs. 

 Ca C2 = Ca + C2 



100 lbs = 62J + 37^ lbs. 



CO = c + o 



43^ lbs = 183^ + 25 lbs. 



Calcium carbide contains 62.5 parts of calcium and 37.5 parts 

 of carbon in 100, and when brought into contact with water, acety- 

 line is generated to the extent of 5.89 cubic feet of gas to each 

 pound of carbide used ; or by weight 100 lbs. of carbide and 56:^ 

 lbs. of water evolve 40.65 pounds of acetylene gas, and form 115.62 

 lbs. of calcic hydrate (slacked lime) in accordance with the follow- 

 ing formula : 



Ca C2 + 2H2O = Ca O H2O + C2 H2 

 100 + 56.25 = 115 62 + 40.626. 

 The acetylene gas so generated contains in 100 parts 92.3 parts of 

 carbon and 7.7 parts of hydrogen, or in the 40,625 pounds gener- 

 ated from 100 lbs. of carbide we have 37^ lbs. of carbon and 3I- 

 Ibs. of hydrogen. 



Acetylene can be produced from carbide by the addition of 

 water and distributed and stored in a gasometer, or the gas may be 

 compressed into a liquid and kept in a suitable cylinder and drawn 

 off as required for consumption, a reducing valve being adjusted to 

 give the necessary pressure for burning, one cubic foot of liquid 

 expands into 400 cubic feet of illuminating gas, so that a large sup- 

 ply may be stored in a very small space ; but for experimental pur- 

 poses, and for a limited supply, it is preferable to make the gas di- 

 rect from carbide and store it in a gasometer. 



The pressure necessary to liquify acetylene depends upon the 

 temperature, At 65° it requires a pressure of nearly 600 lbs., at 32° 

 323 lbs., at 28. 6"^ below zero 135 lbs., and at 1,160° below zero 15 

 lbs. We see that there is no danger of freezing it at any habitable 

 place. 



As an illuminant acetylene surpasses in brilliancy all other illum- 

 inants known. When burned at the rate of five cubic feet per hour 

 it gives 240 to 250 C. P., whereas the best coal or water gas rarely 

 exceeds 22 candles for each five cubic feet burned per hour. Acety- 

 lene gas thus gives 10 to 12^ times the hght of ordinary gas, or 1000 



