Acetylene is a powerful fuel gas that has various commercial applications. There are many industries where acetylene cylinders are commonplace, as the fuel gas is regarded as one of the most versatile available. Not only is acetylene strong, but also simple to operate and generally very safe for workers, which is why it has remained so popular since it was first used back in 1906.
It’s worth noting that acetylene cylinders differ from other compressed cylinders. For example, they need to have a porous filler material and a solvent to dissolve the acetylene and be stored with lower pressure for added safety. Not storing in an appropriate cylinder results in an unstable cylinder that could be susceptible to exploding!
Thankfully, acetylene cylinders are designed to accommodate these requirements to ensure safe acetylene storage during commercial use. Let’s take a closer look at the 4 most common uses for acetylene cylinders:
Metal Fabrication
Acetylene cylinders are mostly found in the fabrication industry, namely for fabricating various metals. Welding and cutting requires acetylene cylinders for a process called gas cutting. This is needed for certain metals that require high temperatures to cut and weld, so because acetylene produces the hottest possible cutting flame, it’s a mainstay in metal fabrication. Given that metal fabrication occurs in countless industries, from automotive to construction to manufacturing, acetylene cylinders are commonplace.
Chemical Production
Acetylene is used in various forms of chemical synthesis with the gas used to produce various types of inorganic compounds. This is mostly in the form of synthesizing vitamins, such as Vitamin A. Other types of chemical production that use acetylene includes solvents, acetic acid, acetylenic alcohol, BDO, and perfume.
Plastic Production
Acetylene is a key component in various forms of plastic production, namely polyethylene plastics like PVC. Yes, methane or ethylene are used to produce polyethylene plastics, but both are manufactured from acetylene, so expect many acetylene cylinders in plastic production facilities.
Glass Processing
In glass processing acetylene is often used as part of the carbon coating process. This is mainly due to the lubrication the gas offers during carbon coating, which creates a surface between materials during glass processing and production.
Acetylene cylinders are commonly used in these four industrial applications. The gas remains one of the best for cutting and welding, while various other applications are also possible, highlighting the versatility that makes acetylene such as useful gas.
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