We first remind you of one of our recent reports, accessible via:
West Virginia Coal Association | The Conversion of Coal to Acetylene | Research & Development; and concerning, in part: "United States Patent Application 0110123428 - Method and System for Producing Calcium Carbide; 2011; Inventors: Zhenyu Liu, et. al., China; Abstract: A method and a system for producing calcium carbide, the method including mixing powdery carbon-containing raw material with powdery calcium-containing raw material, and directly heating the mixture by combusting a part of carbon-containing raw material in an oxygen-containing atmosphere to produce calcium carbide. The carbon-containing raw material can be coal (and) the calcium-containing raw material can be calcium carbonate ... . , The present invention relates to a method and a system for producing acetylene stones (i.e., calcium carbide (CaC)), and more specially, to a method and a system for producing calcium carbide by providing heat directly through partial combustion of a powdery carbon-containing raw material and a powdery calcium-containing raw material in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. Acetylene stone, i.e. calcium carbide, is one of the basic materials in the organic synthetic chemistry industry. A series of organic compounds can be synthesized by using the calcium carbide as raw material, to provide source materials for fields such as industry, agriculture, and medicine, and calcium carbide is honored as the mother of organic synthesis before the middle of last century. Hydrolysis of calcium carbide results in acetylene and calcium hydroxide";
wherein we documented the progression, starting from the very beginnings of the last century, of the conventional technology for producing Acetylene gas, indirectly, through the intermediate production of Calcium Carbide, from Coal.
Acetylene, aside from its traditional and well-known use as the fuel in Oxy-Acetylene torches, is a hydrocarbon gas of extraordinary, though largely unrecognized, value. As we will demonstrate in future reports, it can be utilized as a co-raw material in the synthesis of other hydrocarbons from Coal as well as serve, in and of itself, as the raw material from which other hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon-derived products can be made.
And, the technology for producing Acetylene from Coal has undergone, as demonstrated by the above-cited report, continuous improvement, including, as we see herein, the development of processes which enable the direct, efficient synthesis of Acetylene, from Coal, without the intermediate synthesis of Calcium Carbide.
Comment follows, and is inserted within, excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"United States Patent 4,105,888 - Arc Heater Apparatus for Producing Acetylene from Heavy Hydrocarbons
Arc heater apparatus for producing acetylene from heavy hydrocarbons - Westinghouse Electric Corp.
(Note: Through inclusion of the above links, we continue to provide secondary-site back-up to our source, United States Patent and Trademark Office, electronic files, which we long ago became aware don't remain stable during the process of transmission and web publication. The problem is especially acute with links to United States Patent Application electronic files; and, we have noted that a number we've provided in some recent reports no longer function properly in those reports, as they are now posted on the web by the West Virginia Coal Association. We will continue to use USPTO links as our "headline" in reports concerning United States Patents and Patent Applications, giving what we can of "pride of place" to our US government.
The secondary site links, however, are much more reliable. Further, we have, and will further, where we've detected such faulty links, downloaded complete files of the documents, which we have forwarded and will forward, to the West Virginia Coal Association. In short, folks, we ain't making any of this stuff up.)
Date: August, 1978
Inventor: Maurice Fey, Pennsylvania
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh
Abstract: Arc heater apparatus and method for producing acetylene from heavy hydrocarbons characterized by arc heater means for producing arc heated plasma gas forming a downstream reaction zone, wall means forming a plenum chamber having a substantially vertical axis and surrounding the reaction zone, inlet means upstream of the arc heated plasma gas for introducing heavy hydrocarbons into the chamber, and the walls of the chamber flaring downwardly outwardly to minimize the deposit of solid reaction products on the walls.
Claims: Arc heater apparatus for producing acetylene from heavy hydrocarbon, comprising walls forming a plenum chamber having a substantially vertical axis, a plurality of arc heaters at the upper end of the chamber and including a pair of axially spaced substantially cylindrical electrodes forming a narrow gap there between and adapted to be connected to a source of potential to produce an arc there between, the electrodes defining an arc chamber that communicates with the plenum chamber, the axes of the arc chambers of the arc heaters being inclined upwardly from the vertical axis, gas inlet means communicating with the gap for introducing a non-conductive reducing gas into the arc chamber, the arc heaters being productive of an arc heated plasma gas to effect a downstream reaction zone in a plenum chamber, second inlet means upstream of the arc heaters for introducing heavy hydrocarbon material into the reaction zone, and the walls forming the plenum chamber diverging downwardly and outwardly from the location of the arc heaters so that deposits of solid reaction products on the walls are minimized.
The apparatus ... in which there are three arc heaters at the upper end of the plenum chamber and extending radially outwardly from the vertical axis (and) in which there are a series of ports in the plenum chamber walls for the introduction of pressurized fluid to remove any buildup of deposits.
Background and Field: This invention relates to electric arc heater apparatus and method and (as) it pertains to such apparatus for the production of acetylene from heavy hydrocarbons such as coal ... .
Acetylene produced from coal is becoming economically more attractive ... .
A principal use for acetylene would be in the production of vinyl chloride which is presently produced from ethylene.
Acetylene can be substituted for ethylene for a large number of additional processes.
(Concerning the above, we refer you to our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | Ethane Cracker Realities | Research & Development; which centered on the almost-pleadingly entitled Coal Country newspaper article related to the over-hyped shale gas phenomenon: "'Wanted: Ethane Cracker'; (Most) what would come out of the ethane cracker would be ethylene, the basis for the plastics industry".
And, we note, that, even though, as we've documented and as we will further document, for example in:
West Virginia Coal Association | DuPont 1952 Ethylene from Coal | Research & Development; concerning:
"United States Patent 2,623,011 - Preparation of Olefins by Coal Carbonization; 1952; Assignee: E.I. DuPont and Company; Abstract: This invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, and more particularly, to the preparation of ethylene by the carbonization of coal";
we have known for more than half a century that we can make such, also somewhat over-hyped, Ethylene pretty directly from Coal, we might not need much Ethylene in the first place, since Acetylene can be used in place of it.)
Summary: The invention is ... characterized by a process for the production of acetylene from heavy hydrocarbons comprising the steps of providing three radially disposed electric arc heaters, striking an electric arc in an axial gap between generally hollow, cylindrical electrodes spaced along a common axis which forms an arc chamber in each electric arc heater, passing a reducing gas selected from at least one of a group consisting of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane, forcefully through the gap into each arc chamber to produce an arc heated plasma jet while forming a downstream reaction zone, containing the reaction zone in a plenum chamber (as described) and feeding into the plenum chamber and upstream of the reaction zone a stream of heavy hydrocarbon material, such as coal and/or liquid or gaseous petroleum to effect a reaction between said material and said gas to produce acetylene gas.
(Note: Concerning the above-stated utility of "carbon monoxide" in this Coal-conversion process, see:
West Virginia Coal Association | Bayer Improves Coal + CO2 = Carbon Monoxide | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 7,473,286 - Carbon Monoxide Generator; 2009; Assignee: Bayer Material Science, AG, Germany; Abstract and Claims: A generator (as described, and) an improved process for the production of carbon monoxide gas (CO gas) having a high degree of purity using such a generator. Carbon monoxide gas is frequently produced in the art by means of a continuous process in which carbon-containing raw materials are reacted with oxygen and carbon dioxide ... . An object of the present invention was ,,, to provide a continuous process for the production of CO gas by the gasification of coal using the generator according to the invention, (and) to produce a CO gas having a purity of greater than 96%, preferably from 97 to 98%. In contrast to other processes of the prior art, the reaction in the combustion zone is controlled by injecting CO2 and O2 into the furnace together through the (described apparatus) ... so that the (O2) is diluted by the stream of CO2 gas. Adequate mixing of the gases is achieved by means of suitable mixing devices (as suggested). Suitable fuels which meet the above-mentioned demands and which can be reacted successfully in terms of technology and economy to CO gas in the process described herein are, for example ... coal".)
Preferred Embodiments: In accordance with this invention, the process is carried out in the following sequential manner:
(1) striking an electric arc in an axial gap between generally hollow, cylindrical electrodes spaced along a common axis which form a chamber in at least one electric arc heater,
(2) passing a reducing gas (such as) carbon monoxide ... forcefully through the gap into the chamber to produce an arc heated plasma jet while forming a downstream reaction zone,
(3) containing the reaction zone in a plenum chamber having a substantially vertical axis and downwardly, outwardly tapered walls, and
(4) feeding into the plenum chamber and upstream of the reaction zone a stream of heavy hydrocarbon material, such as coal ... to effect a reaction between said material and said gas to produce acetylene gas."
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We note that, though not reflected in our excerpts, Westinghouse does specify the inclusion of a Hydrogen source gas, another "reducing gas", to be included in the blend of gases, along with the Carbon Monoxide, with which the Coal is to be subjected to "electric arc" treatment.
Among the additional gases specified are both Methane and elemental, molecular Hydrogen. And, we remind you of, for just two examples, our reports of:
West Virginia Coal Association | New York City CO2 to Methane via Artificial Photosynthesis | Research & Development; concerning: "US Patent Application 20120208903 - Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Methane Using Visible Light;2012; Assignee: Research Foundation of City University of New York; Abstract: The invention relates to a method for converting carbon dioxide to methane. The method comprises exposing carbon dioxide adsorbed on a nanoporous silicate matrix to light in the presence of a source of carbon dioxide and a source of hydrogen for a time and under conditions sufficient to convert carbon dioxide to methane (and wherein, as the source of light) sunlight, is preferred (and wherein) a preferred source of hydrogen is water"; and:
West Virginia Coal Association | Panasonic High-Efficiency Hydrogen from H2O | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent Application 20120285823 - Hydrogen Generation Device; 2012; Assignee: Panasonic Corporation; Abstract: A hydrogen generation device ... . The present invention relates to a hydrogen generation device designed to obtain hydrogen gas by using light to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen";
wherein it's seen that we have some efficient, maybe even synergistic and value-enhancing ways and means available to us for generating either Hydrogen or Methane.
We further note that Westinghouse and Inventor Fey, and colleagues, might have already had a use in mind for such Acetylene, produced so efficiently from Coal, as evidenced by the precedent:
"United States Patent: 3765870 - Method of Direct Ore Reduction; METHOD OF DIRECT ORE REDUCTION USING A SHORT CAP ARC HEATER - Westinghouse Electric Corporation; 1973; Inventor: Maurice Fey, et. al.; Assignee: Westinghouse, Pittsburgh; Abstract: The oxides of certain metals including iron, chromium, manganese, vanadium and titanium may be finely ground or otherwise pulverized and supplied in a gas flow stream to the heating region of an arc heater. In the heating region an electric arc capable of producing temperatures sufficient to free hydrocarbon radical ions from hydrocarbon gas may be used to assist in separating the metal from the metal oxide ore. The method ... wherein said metal oxide comprises iron oxide and said hydrocarbon gas comprises acetylene".
But, given that refining Iron might have been a suitable and attractive use for Coal-based Acetylene in the Steel City, where all of this technology was invented, there are, as we began to discuss in our above-cited report "Ethane Cracker Realities", a number of other, very intriguing, very valuable uses for such Acetylene.
We'll be addressing those intriguing uses for Acetylene, especially since many references confirm that Acetylene was the basis, i.e., the original raw material, of the organic chemical industry, in a number of reports to follow; reports which, in addition to confirming the utility of Acetylene, further document the fact, that, up even to the present day, improvements have continued to be made in the technologies for synthesizing Acetylene, efficiently and directly, from by far our most abundant fossil Carbon resource:
Coal.