Vapour of water almost always accompanies acetylene from the
generator, even when the apparatus does not belong to those systems of
working where liquid water is in excess, this being due to the fact that
in a generator where the carbide is in excess the temperature tends to
rise until part of the water is vapourised and carried out of the
decomposing chamber before it has an opportunity of reacting with the
excess of carbide. The issuing gas is therefore more or less hot, and it
usually comes from the generating chamber saturated with vapour, the
quantity needed so to saturate it rising as the temperature of the gas
increases. Practically speaking, there is little objection to the
presence of water-vapour in acetylene beyond the fear of deposition of
liquid in the pipes, which may accumulate till they are partially or
completely choked, and may even freeze and burst them in very severe
weather. Where the chemical purifiers, too, contain a solid material
which accidentally or intentionally acts as a drier by removing moisture
from the acetylene, it is a waste of such comparatively expensive
material to allow gas to enter the purifier wetter than need be.
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