Question
Explain some reasons why should acetylene gas cylinders used for gas welding be erected in upright position?
Answer
Acetylene gas is usually used for gas welding as of its ease of production and transportation and its capacity to achieve high temperature in combustion as in around 5,000oF. Acetylene is very much unstable and flammable and would explode in elevated pressure as reacting with oxygen in air. Storing acetylene gas in cylinders in pressure is very risky. thus, for welding purpose, gas acetylene is stored in cylinders of liquid acetone restricted in porous material to enhance there is no free break left for acetylene gas and for cooling principle in event of thermal breakdown.
It also avoids formation of high pressure air pockets inside cylinder. Closed acetylene in acetone will no longer in call with oxygen and is not topic to decomposition. On other hand, acetone is used since it is capable of dissolving large quantity of acetylene gas under pressure without changing nature of gas.