[Footnote:
According to Caro, if acetylene is added to a mixture composed of 55 per
cent. by volume of air and 45 per cent. of carbon dioxide, the whole is
only explosive when the proportion of acetylene lies between 5.0 and 5.8
per cent. Caro has also quoted the effect of various inflammable vapours
upon the explosive limits of acetylene, his results being referred to in
Chapter X.] These figures are valuable in connexion with the prevention
of the formation of explosive mixtures of air and acetylene when new
mains or plant are being brought into operation (_cf._ Chapter
VII.). Eitner has also shown, by direct investigation on mixtures of
other combustible gases and air, that the range of explosibility is
greatly reduced by increase in the proportion of aqueous vapour present.
As the proportion of aqueous vapour in gas standing over water increases
with the temperature the range of explosibility of mixtures of a
combustible gas and air is naturally and automatically reduced when the
temperature rises, provided the mixture is in contact with water. Thus at
17.0 deg. C., mixtures of hydrogen, air, and aqueous vapour containing from
9.3 to 65.0 per cent, of hydrogen are explosive, whereas at 78.
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