filling Oxygen tanks

On Sun, 26 Dec 2004 04:24:18 GMT, "G.R. Patterson III"
wrote:

snip

I thought acetylene had to be stored upright?

Well, my bottle gets transported in a horizontal position when I have to take it
on a job, but I've always stored it and used it in a vertical position. I was
told there are safety reasons for that, so I've always done that. I was always
curious as to what those reasons are, though.

snip

from http://www.thebestlinks.com/Gas_welding.html

Acetylene is obtained from the action of water upon calcium carbide.
Calcium carbide in turn is produced by the reaction together in an
electric arc furnace of carbon and calcium carbonate. Acetylene can be
produced near where the welding is being done in an acetylene
generator. More commonly it is produced in a central plant and then
shipped to the welding site in special containers. These containers
are packed with various porous materials (kapok fibre), then filled
about half way with acetone. The acetylene dissolves into the acetone.
This method is necessary because acetylene is unstable above 207 kPa
(30 lb/in²) and may explode. There is about 1700 kPa (250 lb/in&sup2)
of pressure in the tank when full. Acetylene gives a temperature of
3200 to 3500 ?C (5800 to 6300 ?F) when burned with oygen, which is the
highest temperature of any of the gases mentioned here.

TC