Title of Invention	ACETYLENE GENERATING FACILITY, METHOD OF CONTROLLING ACETYLENE GENERATING FACILITY AND METHOD OF PRODUCING ACETYLENE GAS
Abstract	Disclosed is an acetylene generating facility which includes: an acetylene generator generating acetylene gas by allowing calcium carbide to react with water; a supply tank supplying calcium carbide to the acetylene generator; a water supply unit supplying water to the acetylene generator; a gas flow rate detector detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; a gas temperature detector detecting temperature of the acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a control device controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas.

Title of Invention

ACETYLENE GENERATING FACILITY, METHOD OF CONTROLLING ACETYLENE GENERATING FACILITY AND METHOD OF PRODUCING ACETYLENE GAS

Abstract

Disclosed is an acetylene generating facility which includes: an acetylene generator generating acetylene gas by allowing calcium carbide to react with water; a supply tank supplying calcium carbide to the acetylene generator; a water supply unit supplying water to the acetylene generator; a gas flow rate detector detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; a gas temperature detector detecting temperature of the acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a control device controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas.

Full Text	FORM 2 THE PATENTS ACT 1970 (39 of 1970) & The Patents Rules 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See section 10 and rule 13) 1. ACETYLENE GENERATING FACILITY METHOD OF CONTROLLING ACETYLENE GENERATING FACILITY AND METHOD OF PRODUCING ACETYLENE GAS 2. 1. (A) DENKI KAGAKU KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA (B) Japan (C) 1-1 Nihonbashi-Muromachi 2-chome Chuo-ku Tokyo 1038338 Japan The following specification particularly describes the invention and themanner in which it is to be performed. BACKGROUND TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to an acetylene generating facility a method of controlling an acetylene generating facility and a method of producing acetylene gas. RELATED ART Long-known methods of industrially producing acetylene are such as allowing calcium carbide (CaC2 simply referred to as “carbide” hereinafter) to react with water based on wet process or dry process. The dry process needs addition of 10-fold equivalence or more of water relative to carbide and also needs a labor-consuming treatment of a mixture of by-produced slaked lime and water. The dry process has therefore been in the mainstream in these days. [0003] One known dry-type acetylene generating facility is an acetylene facility described for example in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. S31-7838 (Patent Document 1). In this facility carbide is mixed with 1.9 to 3 times the stoichiometric amount of water in an acetylene generator and the mixture under stirring is sequentially dropped onto shelf plates provided in the acetylene generator. Acetylene gas generated in the acetylene generator is collected through an output duct provided to the upper portion of the generator. Patent Document 1 describes that the amount of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator during the operation is controlled based on a measured value of grade of source carbide and the amount of supply of carbide is controlled based on measured values of flow rate of generated acetylene and the grade of carbide. It is also described that an automatic control is adoptable by which both of the amount of supply of water and the amount of supply of carbide may be controlled with each other while keeping a proportional relation in between. [0005] However the method of controlling the amount of supply of water based on the measured value of grade of source carbide such as described in Patent Document 1 is insufficient in terms of stability of control. More specifically it is anticipated that the method would be insufficient to cope with sharp changes in temperature of water to be supplied or rapid changes in reaction conditions possibly induced by input of source carbide having different grades. SUMMARY [0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an acetylene generating facility a method of controlling an acetylene generating facility and a method of producing acetylene gas capable of precisely controlling water supply to an acetylene generator. [0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention aimed at solving the above-described problems there is provided an acetylene generating facility which includes: an acetylene generator generating acetylene gas by allowing calcium carbide to react with water; a supply tank supplying calcium carbide to the acetylene generator; a water supply unit supplying water to the acetylene generator; a gas flow rate detector detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; a gas temperature detector detecting temperature of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a control device controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas. [0008] In one embodiment of the present invention the acetylene generating facility further includes a water temperature detector detecting temperature of water supplied from the water supply unit. The control device controls the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas the temperature of acetylene gas and the temperature of water. [0009] In another embodiment of the acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the control device includes: a correction unit correcting a measured value of the amount of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector using the temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector; a calculator unit calculating required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator using the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas; a comparator unit comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and a regulator unit increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value. [0010] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an acetylene generating facility which includes: an acetylene generator generating acetylene gas by allowing calcium carbide to react with water; a supply tank supplying calcium carbide to the acetylene generator; a water supply unit supplying water to the acetylene generator; a water temperature detector detecting temperature of water supplied by the water supply unit; a gas flow rate detector detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a control device controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of water. [0011] In one embodiment of the acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the control device includes: a correction unit correcting a multiplying factor of supply of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the temperature of water detected by the water temperature detector; a calculator unit calculating required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the corrected multiplying factor of supply of water and the amount of generation of acetylene gas; a comparator unit comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and a regulator unit increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value. [0012] In another embodiment of the acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the acetylene generator further includes: an input port provided to the upper portion of the acetylene generator through which calcium carbide is input; a reaction stage provided inside the acetylene generator so as to be connected to the input port; a plurality of spray nozzles connected to the reaction stage through which water is supplied to the reaction stage; and a mixing stage provided on the downstream side of the reaction stage for mixing a by-produced slaked lime obtained by reacting calcium carbide with water. The control device controls ratio of flow rate of water to be supplied through the plurality of nozzles. [0013] In still another embodiment of the acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the inside of the supply tank is kept by an inert gas at a pressure higher than that in the acetylene generator. [0014] In still another embodiment of the acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the gas temperature detector and the gas flow rate detector respectively detect temperature and flow rate of acetylene gas which flows through an output port of a water seal trap connected to the downstream side of the acetylene generator. [0015] According to a still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling an acetylene generating facility which includes a step of generating acetylene gas by supplying calcium carbide and water into an acetylene generator and allowing calcium carbide and water to react with each other; a step of detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; a step of detecting temperature of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas. [0016] In one embodiment of the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas further includes a step of correcting a measured value of the detected amount of generation of acetylene gas into a volume of dry gas using the detected temperature of acetylene gas and increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas. [0017] In another embodiment of the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator further includes a step of correcting a measured value of the detected amount of generation of acetylene gas using the detected temperature of acetylene gas and calculating a required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator using the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas; a step of comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and a step of increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value. [0018] In still another embodiment of the present invention the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility further includes a step of detecting temperature of water supplied by the water supply unit. The step of controlling the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator further includes a step of correcting amount of vaporization of water using the detected temperature of water and increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on a result of correction of the amount of vaporization of water. [0019] According to still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling an acetylene generating facility which includes a step of generating acetylene gas by supplying calcium carbide and water into an acetylene generator and allowing calcium carbide and water to react with each other; a step of detecting temperature of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator; a step of detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of water. [0020] According to still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing acetylene gas using the above-described method of controlling an acetylene generating facility. Advantageous Effect of Invention [0021] According to the present invention an acetylene generating facility a method of controlling an acetylene generating facility and a method of producing acetylene gas capable of more precisely controlling water supply to an acetylene generator may be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating an acetylene generating facility according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of controlling water supply for the acetylene generating facility according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing illustrating an acetylene generating facility according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of controlling water supply for the acetylene generating facility according to the second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0023] Embodiments of the present invention will be explained referring to the attached drawings. It is to be understood that the drawings are merely schematic and do not exactly depict actual relations between thickness and average dimension ratio of the individual layers and so forth. Dimensional relations or ratios may vary among the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely directed to exemplify apparatus and method for implementing the technical spirit of the present invention so that the technical spirit of the present invention by no means limits the materials geometries structures and arrangement of the components to those described below. [0024] (First Embodiment) The acetylene generating facility according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises as illustrated in FIG. 1 an acetylene generator 1 generating acetylene gas by allowing carbide to react with water a supply tank 2 supplying carbide to the acetylene generator 1 a water supply unit 3 supplying water to the acetylene generator 1 a gas flow rate detector 4 detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator 1 a gas temperature detector 5 detecting temperature of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator 1 and a control device 6 controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas. [0025] To the acetylene generator 1 connected are an acetylene purification unit 7 purifying acetylene gas generated in the acetylene generator 1 and a by-produced slaked lime output unit 8 outputting by-produced slaked lime generated in the acetylene generator 1. The acetylene purification unit 7 has a dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a a desulfurization tower 7b and a water seal trap 7c and purifies acetylene gas generated in the acetylene generator 1. The by-produced slaked lime output unit 8 has a ripening unit 8a a seal tank 8b and an inclined screw conveyor 8c and is configured to further proceed reaction of an unreacted portion of carbide contained in the by-produced slaked lime produced in the acetylene generator 1 and to discharge the by-produced slaked lime out from the system. [0026] As illustrated in FIG. 1 the acetylene generator 1 configures a multi-stage stirring system and generally has a cylindrical geometry. The acetylene generator 1 ensures a good conversion efficiency by virtue of its configuration in which most part of reaction is completed in upper stages whereas stirring and mixing is done in lower stages for further reaction of unreacted carbide. For example the acetylene generator 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a 10-stage configuration in which the first and second stages are assigned to reaction stages 12a 12b and the third to tenth stages are assigned to mixing stage 13. [0027] The reaction stages 12a 12b are connected with input ports 11a 11b through which carbide is input. The input ports 11a 11b are connected with screw feeders 21a 21b respectively through which carbide is fed from the supply tank 2 into the reaction stages 12a 12b. The reaction stages 12a 12b are connected with a plurality of water sprayers 15a 15b. Each of the water sprayers 15a 15b has six spray nozzles twelve in total. In the cylindrical acetylene generator 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 the spray nozzles are arranged by twos in the circumferential direction from the input ports 11a 11b so as to bring water sprayed from the spray nozzles into contact with carbide. Flow rate of water sprayed from the spray nozzles are independently adjustable for each water sprayers. In this configuration one possible control may be such as increasing the flow rate through the nozzles arranged closer to the input ports 11a 11b for introducing the source material and decreasing the flow rate through the nozzles more distant therefrom and another possible control may be such as starting water spraying only after the source material input at the start-up of the acetylene generator 1 reached below the water sprayers 15a 15b. [0028] The water supply unit 3 may be configured by a pump for example. The water supply unit 3 may be connected with a switching unit (not illustrated) switching water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 among river water well water industrial water and recycled water in the acetylene generating facility depending on needs. The water supply unit 3 is electrically connected to the control device 6 by which the flow rate of water supplied by the supply unit 3 (flow rate of water supplied through the water sprayers 15a 15b) is controlled. [0029] The gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 are respectively connected to the output port side of the acetylene generator 1. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1 the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 are connected to the output port of the water seal trap 7c of the acetylene purification unit 7 so as to detect flow rate and temperature of acetylene gas which flows through a piping of the output port of the water seal trap 7c. Positions of the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 are not specifically limited so long as they reside on the downstream side of the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a. Paths 18 which connect the acetylene generator 1 and the acetylene purification unit 7 may not be suitable for the measurement due to their highly dusty and steamy moist environment. The gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 are electrically connected to the control device 6 wherein the flow rate and the temperature detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 are stored by the control device 6 in a continuous or temporary manner. [0030] The supply tank 2 stocks carbide preliminarily crushed by a crusher facility. Too small grain size of carbide may excessively elevate the temperature enough to make a side reaction more likely to proceed whereas too large grain size may prevent the reaction from proceeding to a sufficient degree. Carbide is therefore crushed so as to have an average grain size of 4 mm or smaller and preferably 0.8 to 1.3 mm or around. The supply tank 2 is fully filled with the source material and is sealed with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas. The inside of the supply tank 2 is preferably kept at a pressure higher by approximately 0.3 to 0.5 kPa than that in the acetylene generator 1 by filling an inert gas such as nitrogen gas. In this way the acetylene gas produced in the acetylene generator 1 may be prevented from flowing backward to the supply tank 2 and thereby safety of the acetylene generating facility may be improved. [0031] The control device 6 controls the acetylene generator 1 the supply tank 2 the water supply unit 3 the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5. The control device 6 has a condition storage unit 61 a correction unit 62 a calculator unit 63 a comparator unit 64 and a regulator unit 65. The condition storage unit 61 stores conditions necessary for controlling the acetylene generating facility such as operational conditions of the individual facilities and information including reference values equations used for calculating flow rate of water necessary for the acetylene generator 1 (referred to as “required supply flow rate” hereinafter) relational data among various measurement parameters and multiplying factor of supply of water necessary for calculating the required supply flow rate. [0032] The correction unit 62 corrects a measured value of the amount of generation of acetylene gas (flow rate) detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 using a measured value of the temperature of acetylene gas detected by the temperature detector 5. More specifically the correction unit 62 corrects a measured value obtained by the gas flow rate detector 4 into a corrected gas flow rate (15°C 101.325 kPa on the basis of dry gas) which represents a volume of dry acetylene gas using the detected temperature of acetylene gas typically according to the equations (1) to (3) below: Corrected amount of gas [m3/h] =Measured value [m3/h]×(P0+PDG)÷P0×(T0+15)÷(T0+t)×VC2H2(t) ???(1) VC2H2(t) [-]={P0+PDG-E(t)}/(P0+PDG) ???(2) E(t) [kPa(abs)]=0.611×10^{7.5t/(t+237.3)} ???(3) where P0 [kPa(abs)] represents standard pressure (=101.325 kPa) T0 [K] represents standard temperature (=273.15°C) t [°C] represents temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector 5 VC2H2(t) represents volume fraction [-] of acetylene at t [°C] PDG [kPa(G)] represents pressure inside the water seal trap 7c and E(t) [kPa(abs)] represents saturated water vapor pressure at t[°C] known as an approximating equation by Tetens (1930). [0033] Exemplary relational data among the acetylene gas temperature t the saturated water vapor pressure E(t) and the volume fraction of acetylene VC2H2(t) are shown in Table 1. The table shows an exemplary case where the pressure PDG of the water seal trap 7c was fixed to 2.0 kPa(G). The correction unit 62 may calculate the corrected gas flow rate by determining the volume fraction VC2H2 of acetylene based on a measured value (t[°C]) of the temperature of acetylene gas and relational data shown in Table 1 and by calculating the corrected gas flow rate according to the equation (1) using the thus-determined volume fraction VC2H2 of acetylene. [Table 1] Temperature t [°C] Saturated water vapor pressure E(t) [kPa] Volume fraction of acetylene VC2H2(t) [-] 0 0.61 0.9941 10 1.23 0.9881 20 2.34 0.9774 30 4.24 0.9589 40 7.38 0.9286 50 12.34 0.8806 [0034] The calculator unit 63 calculates the required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 using the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas calculated by the correction unit 62. Given now that one mol of carbide (64.1 g) is reacted with two mol of water (36 g) 23.4 L of acetylene gas (15°C on the basis of 101.325 kPa) generates according to the equation (4). CaC2+2H2O?C2H2+Ca(OH)2 ???(4) As may be understood from the equation (4) since 1.538 g (1.538 mL) of water is necessary for producing one liter of acetylene gas so that a theoretical flow rate of water supply based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas may be given by the equation (5) below. Theoretical flow rate of water supply [m3/h] =1.538×amount of gas production [m3/h] ???(5) However in an actual process water to be reacted will vaporize due to heat of reaction and water is also trapped in the by-produced slaked lime. Taking now the amount of vaporization of water due to heat of reaction and the amount of water trapped in the by-produced slaked lime into account the required supply flow rate is given by the equation (6) below. “Multiplying factor of supply of water” in the equation (6) is a numerical value representing how much larger volume of water is necessary relative to the theoretical flow rate of water supply (stoichiometric volume). Required supply flow rate [m3/h] =1.538×amount of gas generation [m3/h]× multiplying factor of supply of water ???(6) The calculator unit 63 calculates the required supply flow rate by substituting a value of the corrected amount of gas corrected by the correction unit 62 for the “amount of gas generation” of the equation (6). While the multiplying factor of supply of water may slightly vary typically depending on the grade of carbide a reference value of 3.00±0.20[-] is set in this embodiment. [0035] The comparator unit 64 compares the required supply flow rate calculated by the calculator unit 63 with the reference value stored in the condition storage unit 61. “Reference value” may be defined as a value of actual flow rate of water supply during the operation or the value with a certain allowance (for example supply flow rate±5%). The regulator unit 65 increases or decreases the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 so as to adjust the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 to the required supply flow rate when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value. [0036] A method of controlling water supply to the acetylene generating facility in this embodiment will be explained referring to the flow chart shown in FIG. 2. [0037] In step S101 information necessary for the operation including a desired volume of gas production multiplying factor and reference value are input to the condition storage unit 61. If there are no changes to be made previously entered values are kept. Next in step S102 temperature and flow rate of the generated acetylene gas are detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 and the results of detection are stored in the condition storage unit 61. In step S103 the correction unit 62 of the control device 6 corrects a measured value of the amount (flow rate) of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 according to the equations (1) to (3) using a measured value of the temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector 5 then the condition storage unit 61 stores the result of correction. The correction unit 62 may alternatively determine the volume fraction of acetylene VC2H2 based on a measured value of the temperature of acetylene gas and relational data shown in Table 1 and then calculate the corrected gas flow rate according to the equation (1) using the thus-determined volume fraction of acetylene VC2H2. [0038] In step S104 the calculator unit 63 reads the corrected gas flow rate corrected by the correction unit 62 and a value of multiplying factor of water supply out from the condition storage unit 61 calculates the required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 according to the equation (6) and stores the result of calculation to the condition storage unit 61. [0039] In step S105 the comparator unit 64 reads the reference value and the required supply flow rate of water calculated by the calculator unit 63 out from the condition storage unit 61 and compares the required supply flow rate and the reference value. If the required supply flow rate matches the reference value the process returns back to step S101. If the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value the regulator unit 65 increases or decreases in step S106 the flow rate of water so as to regulate it to the required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1. After completion of the regulation of flow rate in step S106 the process returns back to step S101. The amount of supply of water may be controlled in a continuous manner by repeating steps S101 through S106. [0040] According to the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility of the first embodiment the amount of generation and the temperature of acetylene gas may be detected in a real-time manner by the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 and the supply flow rate of water from the water supply unit 3 is automatically controlled by the control device 6 based on the results of detection. Accordingly the water supply to the acetylene generator 1 may be controlled in a more precise manner as compared with the conventional method in which the control was based on the grade of source carbide so that the generator 1 may be re-conditioned in a rapid and appropriate manner even if the different grade of carbide were input enough to induce sharp changes in the reaction and thereby acetylene gas may be generated in a more stable manner. [0041] Next an exemplary method of producing acetylene gas using the acetylene gas generating facility illustrated in FIG. 1 will be explained. [0042] 1. Material Feeding Process Carbide preliminarily crushed by a crusher facility is input from the bottom portion of a hopper (not illustrated) while being conveyed with the aid of a screw conveyor bucket conveyor flow conveyor or the like into the supply tank 2. During the operation the supply tank 2 is fed so as to be fully filled up all the time and is sealed with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas. Carbide is fed from the bottom portion of the supply tank 2 with the aid of the screw feeders 21a 21b into the acetylene generator 1. [0043] 2. Acetylene Generating Process Carbide is input through the input ports 11a 11b into the acetylene generator 1 and dropped onto the shelf plates in the first stage and the second stage and diffused and conveyed towards the center with the aid of a plurality of stirring blades (not illustrated) attached to a rotating arm (not illustrated) which rotates around a rotating shaft 17. Carbide is mixed with mist-like sprayed water and falls around the circumference of the rotating shaft onto a shelf plate in the third stage while generating acetylene gas. In the third stage carbide is conveyed while keeping the reaction from the center portion towards the outer circumference in the direction inverted from that in the first stage. Thereafter an unreacted portion of carbide and by-produced slaked lime successively move downwards while repeating the zigzag travel and complete the reaction in the acetylene generator 1 in the bottom stage thereof. Temperature of the inside of the generator 1 is preferably controlled to 140°C or lower and preferably 90 to 130°C or around in order to avoid explosive decomposition of acetylene. Acetylene gas is then sent to the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a of the acetylene purification unit 7 and the by-produced slaked lime is sent to the by-produced slaked lime output unit 8. In this embodiment in the acetylene generating process the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 is automatically controlled to an appropriate value by the control device 6 described in the above. [0044] 3. Dust Scrubbing Acetylene gas generated in the generator 1 is sent to the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a. In this process two ribbon screws are preferably installed in a vertically aligned manner on the upstream side of the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a so as to prevent the by-produced slaked lime having large grain size from entering the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a and so as to push such slaked lime back to the generator 1 while keeping a path of gas. Acetylene gas entering the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a has a temperature of 80 to 95°C or around and entrains dusty slaked lime which cannot be removed by the ribbon screws. The dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a is partitioned into a spray chamber on the lower stage and a packed chamber on the upper stage having a packing filled therein. The dusty slaked lime contained in acetylene gas fed from the lower stage of the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a is washed off by the mist-like sprayed water and the acetylene gas is cooled while traveling upward in the spray chamber. The acetylene gas further flows upwards while meandering through the packing having a geometry of ring pellet honeycomb or the like. Cooling water is sprayed from the top of the packed chamber thereby a residual portion of the dusty slaked lime which remained unwashed in the spray chamber is removed as the acetylene gas travels through the packed chamber. The gas is further cooled down to normal temperature. Temperature of effluent water is preferably kept at 70 to 80°C in order to prevent loss of acetylene gas possibly caused by dissolution of acetylene gas into water during the travel through the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a. [0045] 4. Desulfurization Acetylene traveled through the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a then enters the desulfurization tower 7b. Since the source carbide generally contains calcium sulfide as an impurity so that also hydrogen sulfide generates by the reaction with water in the acetylene generator 1. Hydrogen sulfide is then removed by using an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide (referred to as “aqueous NaOH solution” hereinafter) in the desulfurization tower 7b. The desulfurization tower 7b has a packing filled therein. A small amount of hydrogen sulfide contained in the acetylene gas reacts with the aqueous NaOH solution sprayed from the top of the desulfurization tower 7b while meandering upward through the desulfurization tower 7b and washed off in the form of sodium sulfide. Amount of use of the aqueous NaOH solution may be reduced by collecting the used solution into a desulfurization tank and by recycling it until the desulfurization effect is exhausted. [0046] 5. Water Seal Trap The acetylene gas after desulfurization is then guided to the water seal trap 7c for preventing backward flow. The water seal trap 7c is connected to a path on the output port side thereof with the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 by which the temperature and the flow rate of the generated acetylene gas are measured. After passing through the water seal trap 7c the acetylene gas is sent to a gas holder for storage. [0047] 6. By-Produced Slaked Lime Output Process On the other hand slaked lime by-produced in the acetylene generating process is introduced to the by-produced slaked lime output unit 8 comprising the ripening unit 8a the seal tank 8b and the inclined screw conveyor 8c through which an unreacted portion of carbide contained in the by-produced slaked lime generated in the acetylene generator 1 is made further react and thereafter the by-produced slaked lime is discharged out from the system. [0048] (Second Embodiment) An acetylene generating facility of the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 is different from the acetylene generating facility illustrated in FIG. 1 in that the facility has a water temperature detector 9 for detecting temperature of water supplied from the water supply unit 3 and in that the control device 6 controls the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 based on three measured parameters which are the amount of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 the temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector 5 and the temperature of water detected by the water temperature detector 9. [0049] The water temperature detector 9 may be any sort of instrument capable of detecting the temperature of water to be supplied without special limitation. The water temperature detector 9 is electrically connected to the control device 6 and the temperature detected by the water temperature detector 9 is recorded by the control device 6 in a continuous or manner or at certain intervals. [0050] As shown by the equations (5) and (6) the required supply flow rate may be calculated by multiplying the theoretical supply flow rate by the multiplying factor of water supply. The multiplying factor of water supply may be set taking the water content of the by-produced slaked lime obtained by reaction between carbide and water carbide and a loading state and so forth of a stirrer of generator 1 into account while being generally assumed as approximately 3.00 as the reference. However if the temperature of water supplied from the water supply unit 3 largely varies the change may affect vaporization of water in the generator 1 and may thereby largely change the water content of the by-produced slaked lime even under the same multiplying factor of water supply. This may result in a water-excessive or water-deficient state in the acetylene generator 1 and may induce overload of the stirrer increase in the amount of unreacted calcium carbide or leakage of slaked lime. In particular for the case where types of water supply is switched during the operation (for example switching from recycled water to industrial water) changes in the temperature of supplied water may heavily affect the facility. [0051] In the acetylene generating facility of the second embodiment the correction unit 62 not only has the functions explained in the first embodiment but also corrects the multiplying factor of water supply to a more appropriate value based on the temperature of water (water supply temperature) detected by the water temperature detector 9. For example the correction unit 62 corrects the amount of vaporization of water according to the equation (7) using the detected temperature of water and then corrects the multiplying factor of water supply to a more appropriate value using the corrected amount of vaporization of water. More specifically the corrected multiplying factor of water supply may be determined by calculating a difference between the average temperature of water supply in the normal state and a measured value of temperature of water supply so as to find a difference of heat capacity (specific heat×temperature) of water to be supplied and by converting the result into latent heat of vaporization. Corrected multiplying factor of water supply [-] =multiplying factor of water supply (before correction) ×{1+(t-t0)×4.186÷2254} ???(7) In the equation (7) t [°C] represents a measured value of water supply t0 [°C] represents average temperature of water supply in the normal state 4.186 [kJ/kg?°C] is specific heat of water and 2254 [kJ/kg] is latent heat of vaporization of water. [0052] The correction unit may alternatively be configured so as to correct the multiplying factor of water supply to a more appropriate value if the temperature of water varied to a certain degree or more (for example 5°C or more 10°C or more and 20°C or more) based on relational data between the temperature of water supply and the multiplying factor of water supply stored in the condition storage unit 61 as shown in Table 2. An exemplary relation between the water supply temperature and the multiplying factor of water supply is shown in Table 2. [Table 2] Temperature of water supply [°C] Multiplying factor of water supply (reference value=3.00) Lowered by 20°C -0.11 Lowered by 10°C -0.06 Lowered by 5°C -0.03 Elevated by 5°C +0.03 Elevated by 10°C +0.06 Elevated by 20°C +0.11 [0053] The calculator unit 63 calculates the required supply flow rate by substituting the result of correction made by the correction unit 62 for the equation (6). The acetylene generator 1 may therefore be controlled in a more precise manner since the required supply flow rate is calculated based on three parameters including the amount of generation of acetylene gas the temperature of acetylene gas and the temperature of water as described in the above. [0054] Next a method of controlling water supply to the acetylene generating facility of the second embodiment will be explained referring to the flow chart shown in FIG. 4. [0055] In step S201 information necessary for the operation including a desired volume of gas production multiplying factor and reference value are input to the condition storage unit 61. If there are no changes to be made previously entered values are kept. Next in step S202 temperature and flow rate of the generated acetylene gas are detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 temperature of water supplied from the water supply unit 3 is detected by the water temperature detector 9 and results of detection are stored in the condition storage unit 61. In step S203 the correction unit 62 corrects a measured value of the amount of generation (flow rate) of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 according to the equation (1) using a measured value of the detected temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector 5 and stores the result of correction (corrected gas flow rate) in the condition storage unit 61. The correction unit 62 may alternatively determine the volume fraction of acetylene VC2H2 based on a measured value of the temperature of acetylene gas and relational data shown in Table 1 and then calculate the corrected gas flow rate using the thus-determined volume fraction of acetylene VC2H2. [0056] In step S204 the correction unit 62 further reads the temperature of water detected by the water temperature detector 9 out from the condition storage unit 61 and corrects the amount of vaporization of water according to the equation (7) using the detected temperature of water then calculates the corrected multiplying factor of water supply and stores the result of correction into the condition storage unit 61. The correction unit 62 may alternatively be configured so as to correct the multiplying factor of water supply to a more appropriate value if the temperature of water varied to a certain degree or more (for example 5°C or more 10°C or more and 20°C or more) based on relational data between the temperature of water supply and the multiplying factor of water supply stored in the condition storage unit 61 as shown in Table 2. [0057] In step S205 the calculator unit 63 reads the corrected gas flow rate and the multiplying factor of water supply corrected by the correction unit 62 out from the condition storage unit 61 calculates the required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 according to the equation (6) and stores the result into the condition storage unit 61. In step S206 the comparator unit 64 reads the reference value and the required supply flow rate of water calculated by the calculator unit 63 out from the condition storage unit 61 and compares the required supply flow rate and the reference value. If the required supply flow rate matches the reference value the step returns back to step S201. If the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value the regulator unit 65 increases or decreases in step S207 the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 so as to regulate it to the required supply flow rate. After completion of the regulation of flow rate in step S207 the process returns back to step S201. The amount of supply of water may be controlled in a continuous manner by repeating steps S201 through S207. [0058] According to the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility of the second embodiment the temperature of water to be supplied the amount of generation and the temperature of acetylene gas may be detected in a real-time manner by the gas temperature detector 5 the gas flow rate detector 4 and the water temperature detector 9 and the supply flow rate of water from the water supply unit 3 is controlled by the control device 6 based on the results of detection. Accordingly the water supply to the acetylene generator 1 may be controlled in a more precise manner as compared with the conventional method so that the generator 1 may be re-conditioned in a rapid and appropriate manner even under sharp changes in the temperature of water to be supplied or in the state of source material. [0059] (Other Embodiments) While the embodiments of the present invention were described in the above it is to be understood that the description and the drawings give only a part of the disclosure and by no means limit the scope of the invention. Various substitutive embodiments and methods of implementation will be apparent for those skilled in the art. For example step S204 in the second embodiment is omissible. More specifically without correcting the amount of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 the calculator unit 63 may calculate the required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 based on two parameters including the amount of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 and the temperature of water detected the water temperature detector 9. As described in the above the present invention of course embraces other various embodiments not depicted in the above and may be modified without departing from the spirit thereof. We Claim: 1. An acetylene generating facility comprising: an acetylene generator generating acetylene gas by allowing calcium carbide to react with water; a supply tank supplying calcium carbide to the acetylene generator; a water supply unit supplying water to the acetylene generator; a gas flow rate detector detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; a gas temperature detector detecting temperature of the acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a control device controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas. 2. The acetylene generating facility according to Claim 1 further comprising a water temperature detector detecting temperature of water supplied from the water supply unit wherein the control device controls the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas the temperature of acetylene gas and the temperature of water. 3. The acetylene generating facility according to Claim 1 wherein the control device comprises: a correction unit correcting a measured value of the amount of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector using the temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector; a calculator unit calculating required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator using the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas; a comparator unit comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and a regulator unit increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value. 4. An acetylene generating facility comprising: an acetylene generator generating acetylene gas by allowing calcium carbide to react with water; a supply tank supplying calcium carbide to the acetylene generator; a water supply unit supplying water to the acetylene generator; a water temperature detector detecting temperature of water supplied by the water supply unit; a gas flow rate detector detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a control device controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of water. 5. The acetylene generating facility according to Claim 4 wherein the control device comprises: a correction unit correcting a multiplying factor of supply of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the temperature of water detected by the water temperature detector; a calculator unit calculating required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the corrected multiplying factor of supply of water and the amount of generation of acetylene gas; a comparator unit comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and a regulator unit increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value. 6. The acetylene generating facility according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the acetylene generator further comprises: an input port provided to the upper portion of the acetylene generator through which calcium carbide is input; a reaction stage provided inside the acetylene generator so as to be connected to the input port; a plurality of spray nozzles connected to the reaction stage through which water is supplied to the reaction stage; and a mixing stage provided on the downstream side of the reaction stage for mixing with water a by-produced slaked lime obtained by reacting calcium carbide with water and the control device controls ratio of flow rate of water to be supplied through the plurality of nozzles. 7. The acetylene generating facility according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the inside of the supply tank is kept by an inert gas at a pressure higher than that in the acetylene generator. 8. The acetylene generating facility according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the gas temperature detector and the gas flow rate detector respectively detect temperature and flow rate of acetylene gas which flows through an output port of a water seal trap connected to the downstream side of the acetylene generator. 9. A method of controlling an acetylene generating facility comprising: generating acetylene gas by supplying calcium carbide and water into an acetylene generator and allowing calcium carbide and water to react with each other; detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; detecting temperature of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas. 10. The method of controlling an acetylene generating facility according to Claim 9 wherein the step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas further comprises: correcting a measured value of the detected amount of generation of acetylene gas into a volume of dry gas using the detected temperature of acetylene gas and increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas. 11. The method of controlling an acetylene generating facility according to Claim 9 wherein the step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator further comprises: correcting a measured value of the detected amount of generation of acetylene gas using the detected temperature of acetylene gas and calculating a required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator using the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas; comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value. 12. The method of controlling an acetylene generating facility according to Claim 9 further comprising: detecting temperature of water supplied by the water supply unit wherein the step of controlling the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator further comprises: correcting amount of vaporization of water using the detected temperature of water and increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on a result of correction of the amount of vaporization of water. 13. A method of controlling an acetylene generating facility comprising: generating acetylene gas by supplying calcium carbide and water into an acetylene generator and allowing calcium carbide and water to react with each other; detecting temperature of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator; detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of water. 14. A method of producing acetylene gas using the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility described in any one of Claims 9 to 13. Dated this 03rd Day of April 2012. FIG. 1 FIG. 3 3 WATER SUPPLY UNIT 4 GAS FLOW RATE DETECTOR 5 GAS TEMPERATURE DETECTOR 6 CONTROL DEVICE 61 STORAGE UNIT 62 CORRECTION UNIT 63 CALCULATOR UNIT 64 COMPARATOR UNIT 65 REGULATOR UNIT FIG. 2 S101 ENTER CONDITIONS S102 DETECTION S103 CORRECT MEASURED VALUE OF AMOUNT OF GENERATION OF ACETYLENE GAS S104 CALCULATE REQUIRED FLOW RATE OF WATER S105 REQUIRED FLOW RATE MATCHES REFERENCE VALUE? S106 REGULATE FLOW RATE FIG. 4 S201 ENTER CONDITIONS S202 DETECTION S203 CORRECT MEASURED VALUE OF AMOUNT OF GENERATION OF ACETYLENE GAS S204 CORRECT MULTIPLYING FACTOR OF WATER SUPPLY S205 CALCULATE REQUIRED FLOW RATE OF WATER S206 REQUIRED FLOW RATE MATCHES REFERENCE VALUE? S207 REGULATE FLOW RATE

Full Text

FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patents Rules 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)

1. ACETYLENE GENERATING FACILITY METHOD OF CONTROLLING ACETYLENE GENERATING FACILITY AND METHOD OF PRODUCING ACETYLENE GAS

2.

1. (A) DENKI KAGAKU KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
(B) Japan
(C) 1-1 Nihonbashi-Muromachi 2-chome Chuo-ku Tokyo 1038338 Japan

The following specification particularly describes the invention and themanner in which it is to be performed.

BACKGROUND
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001]
The present invention relates to an acetylene generating facility a method of controlling an acetylene generating facility and a method of producing acetylene gas.

RELATED ART
Long-known methods of industrially producing acetylene are such as allowing calcium carbide (CaC2 simply referred to as “carbide” hereinafter) to react with water based on wet process or dry process. The dry process needs addition of 10-fold equivalence or more of water relative to carbide and also needs a labor-consuming treatment of a mixture of by-produced slaked lime and water. The dry process has therefore been in the mainstream in these days.
[0003]
One known dry-type acetylene generating facility is an acetylene facility described for example in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. S31-7838 (Patent Document 1). In this facility carbide is mixed with 1.9 to 3 times the stoichiometric amount of water in an acetylene generator and the mixture under stirring is sequentially dropped onto shelf plates provided in the acetylene generator. Acetylene gas generated in the acetylene generator is collected through an output duct provided to the upper portion of the generator. Patent Document 1 describes that the amount of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator during the operation is controlled based on a measured value of grade of source carbide and the amount of supply of carbide is controlled based on measured values of flow rate of generated acetylene and the grade of carbide. It is also described that an automatic control is adoptable by which both of the amount of supply of water and the amount of supply of carbide may be controlled with each other while keeping a proportional relation in between.
[0005]
However the method of controlling the amount of supply of water based on the measured value of grade of source carbide such as described in Patent Document 1 is insufficient in terms of stability of control. More specifically it is anticipated that the method would be insufficient to cope with sharp changes in temperature of water to be supplied or rapid changes in reaction conditions possibly induced by input of source carbide having different grades.

SUMMARY
[0006]
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an acetylene generating facility a method of controlling an acetylene generating facility and a method of producing acetylene gas capable of precisely controlling water supply to an acetylene generator.
[0007]
According to a first aspect of the present invention aimed at solving the above-described problems there is provided an acetylene generating facility which includes: an acetylene generator generating acetylene gas by allowing calcium carbide to react with water; a supply tank supplying calcium carbide to the acetylene generator; a water supply unit supplying water to the acetylene generator; a gas flow rate detector detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; a gas temperature detector detecting temperature of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a control device controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas.
[0008]
In one embodiment of the present invention the acetylene generating facility further includes a water temperature detector detecting temperature of water supplied from the water supply unit. The control device controls the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas the temperature of acetylene gas and the temperature of water.
[0009]
In another embodiment of the acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the control device includes: a correction unit correcting a measured value of the amount of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector using the temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector; a calculator unit calculating required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator using the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas; a comparator unit comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and a regulator unit increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value.
[0010]
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an acetylene generating facility which includes: an acetylene generator generating acetylene gas by allowing calcium carbide to react with water; a supply tank supplying calcium carbide to the acetylene generator; a water supply unit supplying water to the acetylene generator; a water temperature detector detecting temperature of water supplied by the water supply unit; a gas flow rate detector detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a control device controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of water.
[0011]
In one embodiment of the acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the control device includes: a correction unit correcting a multiplying factor of supply of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the temperature of water detected by the water temperature detector; a calculator unit calculating required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the corrected multiplying factor of supply of water and the amount of generation of acetylene gas; a comparator unit comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and a regulator unit increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value.
[0012]
In another embodiment of the acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the acetylene generator further includes: an input port provided to the upper portion of the acetylene generator through which calcium carbide is input; a reaction stage provided inside the acetylene generator so as to be connected to the input port; a plurality of spray nozzles connected to the reaction stage through which water is supplied to the reaction stage; and a mixing stage provided on the downstream side of the reaction stage for mixing a by-produced slaked lime obtained by reacting calcium carbide with water. The control device controls ratio of flow rate of water to be supplied through the plurality of nozzles.
[0013]
In still another embodiment of the acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the inside of the supply tank is kept by an inert gas at a pressure higher than that in the acetylene generator.
[0014]
In still another embodiment of the acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the gas temperature detector and the gas flow rate detector respectively detect temperature and flow rate of acetylene gas which flows through an output port of a water seal trap connected to the downstream side of the acetylene generator.
[0015]
According to a still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling an acetylene generating facility which includes a step of generating acetylene gas by supplying calcium carbide and water into an acetylene generator and allowing calcium carbide and water to react with each other; a step of detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; a step of detecting temperature of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas.
[0016]
In one embodiment of the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas further includes a step of correcting a measured value of the detected amount of generation of acetylene gas into a volume of dry gas using the detected temperature of acetylene gas and increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas.
[0017]
In another embodiment of the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility according to the present invention the step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator further includes a step of correcting a measured value of the detected amount of generation of acetylene gas using the detected temperature of acetylene gas and calculating a required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator using the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas; a step of comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and a step of increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value.
[0018]
In still another embodiment of the present invention the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility further includes a step of detecting temperature of water supplied by the water supply unit. The step of controlling the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator further includes a step of correcting amount of vaporization of water using the detected temperature of water and increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on a result of correction of the amount of vaporization of water.
[0019]
According to still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling an acetylene generating facility which includes a step of generating acetylene gas by supplying calcium carbide and water into an acetylene generator and allowing calcium carbide and water to react with each other; a step of detecting temperature of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator; a step of detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and a step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of water.
[0020]
According to still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing acetylene gas using the above-described method of controlling an acetylene generating facility.

Advantageous Effect of Invention
[0021]
According to the present invention an acetylene generating facility a method of controlling an acetylene generating facility and a method of producing acetylene gas capable of more precisely controlling water supply to an acetylene generator may be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022]
FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating an acetylene generating facility according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of controlling water supply for the acetylene generating facility according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing illustrating an acetylene generating facility according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of controlling water supply for the acetylene generating facility according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023]
Embodiments of the present invention will be explained referring to the attached drawings. It is to be understood that the drawings are merely schematic and do not exactly depict actual relations between thickness and average dimension ratio of the individual layers and so forth. Dimensional relations or ratios may vary among the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely directed to exemplify apparatus and method for implementing the technical spirit of the present invention so that the technical spirit of the present invention by no means limits the materials geometries structures and arrangement of the components to those described below.
[0024]
(First Embodiment)

The acetylene generating facility according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises as illustrated in FIG. 1 an acetylene generator 1 generating acetylene gas by allowing carbide to react with water a supply tank 2 supplying carbide to the acetylene generator 1 a water supply unit 3 supplying water to the acetylene generator 1 a gas flow rate detector 4 detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator 1 a gas temperature detector 5 detecting temperature of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator 1 and a control device 6 controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas.
[0025]
To the acetylene generator 1 connected are an acetylene purification unit 7 purifying acetylene gas generated in the acetylene generator 1 and a by-produced slaked lime output unit 8 outputting by-produced slaked lime generated in the acetylene generator 1. The acetylene purification unit 7 has a dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a a desulfurization tower 7b and a water seal trap 7c and purifies acetylene gas generated in the acetylene generator 1. The by-produced slaked lime output unit 8 has a ripening unit 8a a seal tank 8b and an inclined screw conveyor 8c and is configured to further proceed reaction of an unreacted portion of carbide contained in the by-produced slaked lime produced in the acetylene generator 1 and to discharge the by-produced slaked lime out from the system.
[0026]
As illustrated in FIG. 1 the acetylene generator 1 configures a multi-stage stirring system and generally has a cylindrical geometry. The acetylene generator 1 ensures a good conversion efficiency by virtue of its configuration in which most part of reaction is completed in upper stages whereas stirring and mixing is done in lower stages for further reaction of unreacted carbide. For example the acetylene generator 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a 10-stage configuration in which the first and second stages are assigned to reaction stages 12a 12b and the third to tenth stages are assigned to mixing stage 13.
[0027]
The reaction stages 12a 12b are connected with input ports 11a 11b through which carbide is input. The input ports 11a 11b are connected with screw feeders 21a 21b respectively through which carbide is fed from the supply tank 2 into the reaction stages 12a 12b. The reaction stages 12a 12b are connected with a plurality of water sprayers 15a 15b. Each of the water sprayers 15a 15b has six spray nozzles twelve in total. In the cylindrical acetylene generator 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 the spray nozzles are arranged by twos in the circumferential direction from the input ports 11a 11b so as to bring water sprayed from the spray nozzles into contact with carbide. Flow rate of water sprayed from the spray nozzles are independently adjustable for each water sprayers. In this configuration one possible control may be such as increasing the flow rate through the nozzles arranged closer to the input ports 11a 11b for introducing the source material and decreasing the flow rate through the nozzles more distant therefrom and another possible control may be such as starting water spraying only after the source material input at the start-up of the acetylene generator 1 reached below the water sprayers 15a 15b.
[0028]
The water supply unit 3 may be configured by a pump for example. The water supply unit 3 may be connected with a switching unit (not illustrated) switching water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 among river water well water industrial water and recycled water in the acetylene generating facility depending on needs. The water supply unit 3 is electrically connected to the control device 6 by which the flow rate of water supplied by the supply unit 3 (flow rate of water supplied through the water sprayers 15a 15b) is controlled.
[0029]
The gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 are respectively connected to the output port side of the acetylene generator 1. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1 the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 are connected to the output port of the water seal trap 7c of the acetylene purification unit 7 so as to detect flow rate and temperature of acetylene gas which flows through a piping of the output port of the water seal trap 7c. Positions of the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 are not specifically limited so long as they reside on the downstream side of the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a. Paths 18 which connect the acetylene generator 1 and the acetylene purification unit 7 may not be suitable for the measurement due to their highly dusty and steamy moist environment. The gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 are electrically connected to the control device 6 wherein the flow rate and the temperature detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 are stored by the control device 6 in a continuous or temporary manner.
[0030]
The supply tank 2 stocks carbide preliminarily crushed by a crusher facility. Too small grain size of carbide may excessively elevate the temperature enough to make a side reaction more likely to proceed whereas too large grain size may prevent the reaction from proceeding to a sufficient degree. Carbide is therefore crushed so as to have an average grain size of 4 mm or smaller and preferably 0.8 to 1.3 mm or around. The supply tank 2 is fully filled with the source material and is sealed with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas. The inside of the supply tank 2 is preferably kept at a pressure higher by approximately 0.3 to 0.5 kPa than that in the acetylene generator 1 by filling an inert gas such as nitrogen gas. In this way the acetylene gas produced in the acetylene generator 1 may be prevented from flowing backward to the supply tank 2 and thereby safety of the acetylene generating facility may be improved.
[0031]
The control device 6 controls the acetylene generator 1 the supply tank 2 the water supply unit 3 the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5. The control device 6 has a condition storage unit 61 a correction unit 62 a calculator unit 63 a comparator unit 64 and a regulator unit 65. The condition storage unit 61 stores conditions necessary for controlling the acetylene generating facility such as operational conditions of the individual facilities and information including reference values equations used for calculating flow rate of water necessary for the acetylene generator 1 (referred to as “required supply flow rate” hereinafter) relational data among various measurement parameters and multiplying factor of supply of water necessary for calculating the required supply flow rate.
[0032]
The correction unit 62 corrects a measured value of the amount of generation of acetylene gas (flow rate) detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 using a measured value of the temperature of acetylene gas detected by the temperature detector 5. More specifically the correction unit 62 corrects a measured value obtained by the gas flow rate detector 4 into a corrected gas flow rate (15°C 101.325 kPa on the basis of dry gas) which represents a volume of dry acetylene gas using the detected temperature of acetylene gas typically according to the equations (1) to (3) below:
Corrected amount of gas [m3/h]
=Measured value [m3/h]×(P0+PDG)÷P0×(T0+15)÷(T0+t)×VC2H2(t)
???(1)
VC2H2(t) [-]={P0+PDG-E(t)}/(P0+PDG) ???(2)
E(t) [kPa(abs)]=0.611×10^{7.5t/(t+237.3)} ???(3)
where P0 [kPa(abs)] represents standard pressure (=101.325 kPa) T0 [K] represents standard temperature (=273.15°C) t [°C] represents temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector 5 VC2H2(t) represents volume fraction [-] of acetylene at t [°C] PDG [kPa(G)] represents pressure inside the water seal trap 7c and E(t) [kPa(abs)] represents saturated water vapor pressure at t[°C] known as an approximating equation by Tetens (1930).
[0033]
Exemplary relational data among the acetylene gas temperature t the saturated water vapor pressure E(t) and the volume fraction of acetylene VC2H2(t) are shown in Table 1. The table shows an exemplary case where the pressure PDG of the water seal trap 7c was fixed to 2.0 kPa(G). The correction unit 62 may calculate the corrected gas flow rate by determining the volume fraction VC2H2 of acetylene based on a measured value (t[°C]) of the temperature of acetylene gas and relational data shown in Table 1 and by calculating the corrected gas flow rate according to the equation (1) using the thus-determined volume fraction VC2H2 of acetylene.
[Table 1]
Temperature
t [°C] Saturated water vapor pressure E(t) [kPa] Volume fraction of acetylene
VC2H2(t) [-]
0 0.61 0.9941
10 1.23 0.9881
20 2.34 0.9774
30 4.24 0.9589
40 7.38 0.9286
50 12.34 0.8806
[0034]
The calculator unit 63 calculates the required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 using the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas calculated by the correction unit 62.
Given now that one mol of carbide (64.1 g) is reacted with two mol of water (36 g) 23.4 L of acetylene gas (15°C on the basis of 101.325 kPa) generates according to the equation (4).
CaC2+2H2O?C2H2+Ca(OH)2 ???(4)
As may be understood from the equation (4) since 1.538 g (1.538 mL) of water is necessary for producing one liter of acetylene gas so that a theoretical flow rate of water supply based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas may be given by the equation (5) below.
Theoretical flow rate of water supply [m3/h]
=1.538×amount of gas production [m3/h] ???(5)
However in an actual process water to be reacted will vaporize due to heat of reaction and water is also trapped in the by-produced slaked lime. Taking now the amount of vaporization of water due to heat of reaction and the amount of water trapped in the by-produced slaked lime into account the required supply flow rate is given by the equation (6) below. “Multiplying factor of supply of water” in the equation (6) is a numerical value representing how much larger volume of water is necessary relative to the theoretical flow rate of water supply (stoichiometric volume).
Required supply flow rate [m3/h]
=1.538×amount of gas generation [m3/h]× multiplying factor of supply of water ???(6)
The calculator unit 63 calculates the required supply flow rate by substituting a value of the corrected amount of gas corrected by the correction unit 62 for the “amount of gas generation” of the equation (6). While the multiplying factor of supply of water may slightly vary typically depending on the grade of carbide a reference value of 3.00±0.20[-] is set in this embodiment.
[0035]
The comparator unit 64 compares the required supply flow rate calculated by the calculator unit 63 with the reference value stored in the condition storage unit 61. “Reference value” may be defined as a value of actual flow rate of water supply during the operation or the value with a certain allowance (for example supply flow rate±5%). The regulator unit 65 increases or decreases the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 so as to adjust the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 to the required supply flow rate when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value.
[0036]

A method of controlling water supply to the acetylene generating facility in this embodiment will be explained referring to the flow chart shown in FIG. 2.
[0037]
In step S101 information necessary for the operation including a desired volume of gas production multiplying factor and reference value are input to the condition storage unit 61. If there are no changes to be made previously entered values are kept. Next in step S102 temperature and flow rate of the generated acetylene gas are detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 and the results of detection are stored in the condition storage unit 61. In step S103 the correction unit 62 of the control device 6 corrects a measured value of the amount (flow rate) of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 according to the equations (1) to (3) using a measured value of the temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector 5 then the condition storage unit 61 stores the result of correction. The correction unit 62 may alternatively determine the volume fraction of acetylene VC2H2 based on a measured value of the temperature of acetylene gas and relational data shown in Table 1 and then calculate the corrected gas flow rate according to the equation (1) using the thus-determined volume fraction of acetylene VC2H2.
[0038]
In step S104 the calculator unit 63 reads the corrected gas flow rate corrected by the correction unit 62 and a value of multiplying factor of water supply out from the condition storage unit 61 calculates the required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 according to the equation (6) and stores the result of calculation to the condition storage unit 61.
[0039]
In step S105 the comparator unit 64 reads the reference value and the required supply flow rate of water calculated by the calculator unit 63 out from the condition storage unit 61 and compares the required supply flow rate and the reference value. If the required supply flow rate matches the reference value the process returns back to step S101. If the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value the regulator unit 65 increases or decreases in step S106 the flow rate of water so as to regulate it to the required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1. After completion of the regulation of flow rate in step S106 the process returns back to step S101. The amount of supply of water may be controlled in a continuous manner by repeating steps S101 through S106.
[0040]
According to the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility of the first embodiment the amount of generation and the temperature of acetylene gas may be detected in a real-time manner by the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 and the supply flow rate of water from the water supply unit 3 is automatically controlled by the control device 6 based on the results of detection. Accordingly the water supply to the acetylene generator 1 may be controlled in a more precise manner as compared with the conventional method in which the control was based on the grade of source carbide so that the generator 1 may be re-conditioned in a rapid and appropriate manner even if the different grade of carbide were input enough to induce sharp changes in the reaction and thereby acetylene gas may be generated in a more stable manner.
[0041]

Next an exemplary method of producing acetylene gas using the acetylene gas generating facility illustrated in FIG. 1 will be explained.
[0042]
1. Material Feeding Process
Carbide preliminarily crushed by a crusher facility is input from the bottom portion of a hopper (not illustrated) while being conveyed with the aid of a screw conveyor bucket conveyor flow conveyor or the like into the supply tank 2. During the operation the supply tank 2 is fed so as to be fully filled up all the time and is sealed with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas. Carbide is fed from the bottom portion of the supply tank 2 with the aid of the screw feeders 21a 21b into the acetylene generator 1.
[0043]
2. Acetylene Generating Process
Carbide is input through the input ports 11a 11b into the acetylene generator 1 and dropped onto the shelf plates in the first stage and the second stage and diffused and conveyed towards the center with the aid of a plurality of stirring blades (not illustrated) attached to a rotating arm (not illustrated) which rotates around a rotating shaft 17. Carbide is mixed with mist-like sprayed water and falls around the circumference of the rotating shaft onto a shelf plate in the third stage while generating acetylene gas. In the third stage carbide is conveyed while keeping the reaction from the center portion towards the outer circumference in the direction inverted from that in the first stage. Thereafter an unreacted portion of carbide and by-produced slaked lime successively move downwards while repeating the zigzag travel and complete the reaction in the acetylene generator 1 in the bottom stage thereof. Temperature of the inside of the generator 1 is preferably controlled to 140°C or lower and preferably 90 to 130°C or around in order to avoid explosive decomposition of acetylene. Acetylene gas is then sent to the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a of the acetylene purification unit 7 and the by-produced slaked lime is sent to the by-produced slaked lime output unit 8. In this embodiment in the acetylene generating process the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 is automatically controlled to an appropriate value by the control device 6 described in the above.
[0044]
3. Dust Scrubbing
Acetylene gas generated in the generator 1 is sent to the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a. In this process two ribbon screws are preferably installed in a vertically aligned manner on the upstream side of the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a so as to prevent the by-produced slaked lime having large grain size from entering the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a and so as to push such slaked lime back to the generator 1 while keeping a path of gas. Acetylene gas entering the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a has a temperature of 80 to 95°C or around and entrains dusty slaked lime which cannot be removed by the ribbon screws. The dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a is partitioned into a spray chamber on the lower stage and a packed chamber on the upper stage having a packing filled therein. The dusty slaked lime contained in acetylene gas fed from the lower stage of the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a is washed off by the mist-like sprayed water and the acetylene gas is cooled while traveling upward in the spray chamber. The acetylene gas further flows upwards while meandering through the packing having a geometry of ring pellet honeycomb or the like. Cooling water is sprayed from the top of the packed chamber thereby a residual portion of the dusty slaked lime which remained unwashed in the spray chamber is removed as the acetylene gas travels through the packed chamber. The gas is further cooled down to normal temperature. Temperature of effluent water is preferably kept at 70 to 80°C in order to prevent loss of acetylene gas possibly caused by dissolution of acetylene gas into water during the travel through the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a.
[0045]
4. Desulfurization
Acetylene traveled through the dust-scrubbing cooling tower 7a then enters the desulfurization tower 7b. Since the source carbide generally contains calcium sulfide as an impurity so that also hydrogen sulfide generates by the reaction with water in the acetylene generator 1. Hydrogen sulfide is then removed by using an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide (referred to as “aqueous NaOH solution” hereinafter) in the desulfurization tower 7b. The desulfurization tower 7b has a packing filled therein. A small amount of hydrogen sulfide contained in the acetylene gas reacts with the aqueous NaOH solution sprayed from the top of the desulfurization tower 7b while meandering upward through the desulfurization tower 7b and washed off in the form of sodium sulfide. Amount of use of the aqueous NaOH solution may be reduced by collecting the used solution into a desulfurization tank and by recycling it until the desulfurization effect is exhausted.
[0046]
5. Water Seal Trap
The acetylene gas after desulfurization is then guided to the water seal trap 7c for preventing backward flow. The water seal trap 7c is connected to a path on the output port side thereof with the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 by which the temperature and the flow rate of the generated acetylene gas are measured. After passing through the water seal trap 7c the acetylene gas is sent to a gas holder for storage.
[0047]
6. By-Produced Slaked Lime Output Process
On the other hand slaked lime by-produced in the acetylene generating process is introduced to the by-produced slaked lime output unit 8 comprising the ripening unit 8a the seal tank 8b and the inclined screw conveyor 8c through which an unreacted portion of carbide contained in the by-produced slaked lime generated in the acetylene generator 1 is made further react and thereafter the by-produced slaked lime is discharged out from the system.
[0048]
(Second Embodiment)

An acetylene generating facility of the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 is different from the acetylene generating facility illustrated in FIG. 1 in that the facility has a water temperature detector 9 for detecting temperature of water supplied from the water supply unit 3 and in that the control device 6 controls the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 based on three measured parameters which are the amount of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 the temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector 5 and the temperature of water detected by the water temperature detector 9.
[0049]
The water temperature detector 9 may be any sort of instrument capable of detecting the temperature of water to be supplied without special limitation. The water temperature detector 9 is electrically connected to the control device 6 and the temperature detected by the water temperature detector 9 is recorded by the control device 6 in a continuous or manner or at certain intervals.
[0050]
As shown by the equations (5) and (6) the required supply flow rate may be calculated by multiplying the theoretical supply flow rate by the multiplying factor of water supply. The multiplying factor of water supply may be set taking the water content of the by-produced slaked lime obtained by reaction between carbide and water carbide and a loading state and so forth of a stirrer of generator 1 into account while being generally assumed as approximately 3.00 as the reference. However if the temperature of water supplied from the water supply unit 3 largely varies the change may affect vaporization of water in the generator 1 and may thereby largely change the water content of the by-produced slaked lime even under the same multiplying factor of water supply. This may result in a water-excessive or water-deficient state in the acetylene generator 1 and may induce overload of the stirrer increase in the amount of unreacted calcium carbide or leakage of slaked lime. In particular for the case where types of water supply is switched during the operation (for example switching from recycled water to industrial water) changes in the temperature of supplied water may heavily affect the facility.
[0051]
In the acetylene generating facility of the second embodiment the correction unit 62 not only has the functions explained in the first embodiment but also corrects the multiplying factor of water supply to a more appropriate value based on the temperature of water (water supply temperature) detected by the water temperature detector 9. For example the correction unit 62 corrects the amount of vaporization of water according to the equation (7) using the detected temperature of water and then corrects the multiplying factor of water supply to a more appropriate value using the corrected amount of vaporization of water. More specifically the corrected multiplying factor of water supply may be determined by calculating a difference between the average temperature of water supply in the normal state and a measured value of temperature of water supply so as to find a difference of heat capacity (specific heat×temperature) of water to be supplied and by converting the result into latent heat of vaporization.
Corrected multiplying factor of water supply [-]
=multiplying factor of water supply (before correction)
×{1+(t-t0)×4.186÷2254} ???(7)
In the equation (7) t [°C] represents a measured value of water supply t0 [°C] represents average temperature of water supply in the normal state 4.186 [kJ/kg?°C] is specific heat of water and 2254 [kJ/kg] is latent heat of vaporization of water.
[0052]
The correction unit may alternatively be configured so as to correct the multiplying factor of water supply to a more appropriate value if the temperature of water varied to a certain degree or more (for example 5°C or more 10°C or more and 20°C or more) based on relational data between the temperature of water supply and the multiplying factor of water supply stored in the condition storage unit 61 as shown in Table 2. An exemplary relation between the water supply temperature and the multiplying factor of water supply is shown in Table 2.
[Table 2]
Temperature of water supply [°C] Multiplying factor of water supply (reference value=3.00)
Lowered by 20°C -0.11
Lowered by 10°C -0.06
Lowered by 5°C -0.03
Elevated by 5°C +0.03
Elevated by 10°C +0.06
Elevated by 20°C +0.11
[0053]
The calculator unit 63 calculates the required supply flow rate by substituting the result of correction made by the correction unit 62 for the equation (6). The acetylene generator 1 may therefore be controlled in a more precise manner since the required supply flow rate is calculated based on three parameters including the amount of generation of acetylene gas the temperature of acetylene gas and the temperature of water as described in the above.
[0054]

Next a method of controlling water supply to the acetylene generating facility of the second embodiment will be explained referring to the flow chart shown in FIG. 4.
[0055]
In step S201 information necessary for the operation including a desired volume of gas production multiplying factor and reference value are input to the condition storage unit 61. If there are no changes to be made previously entered values are kept. Next in step S202 temperature and flow rate of the generated acetylene gas are detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 and the gas temperature detector 5 temperature of water supplied from the water supply unit 3 is detected by the water temperature detector 9 and results of detection are stored in the condition storage unit 61. In step S203 the correction unit 62 corrects a measured value of the amount of generation (flow rate) of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 according to the equation (1) using a measured value of the detected temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector 5 and stores the result of correction (corrected gas flow rate) in the condition storage unit 61. The correction unit 62 may alternatively determine the volume fraction of acetylene VC2H2 based on a measured value of the temperature of acetylene gas and relational data shown in Table 1 and then calculate the corrected gas flow rate using the thus-determined volume fraction of acetylene VC2H2.
[0056]
In step S204 the correction unit 62 further reads the temperature of water detected by the water temperature detector 9 out from the condition storage unit 61 and corrects the amount of vaporization of water according to the equation (7) using the detected temperature of water then calculates the corrected multiplying factor of water supply and stores the result of correction into the condition storage unit 61. The correction unit 62 may alternatively be configured so as to correct the multiplying factor of water supply to a more appropriate value if the temperature of water varied to a certain degree or more (for example 5°C or more 10°C or more and 20°C or more) based on relational data between the temperature of water supply and the multiplying factor of water supply stored in the condition storage unit 61 as shown in Table 2.
[0057]
In step S205 the calculator unit 63 reads the corrected gas flow rate and the multiplying factor of water supply corrected by the correction unit 62 out from the condition storage unit 61 calculates the required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 according to the equation (6) and stores the result into the condition storage unit 61. In step S206 the comparator unit 64 reads the reference value and the required supply flow rate of water calculated by the calculator unit 63 out from the condition storage unit 61 and compares the required supply flow rate and the reference value. If the required supply flow rate matches the reference value the step returns back to step S201. If the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value the regulator unit 65 increases or decreases in step S207 the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 so as to regulate it to the required supply flow rate. After completion of the regulation of flow rate in step S207 the process returns back to step S201. The amount of supply of water may be controlled in a continuous manner by repeating steps S201 through S207.
[0058]
According to the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility of the second embodiment the temperature of water to be supplied the amount of generation and the temperature of acetylene gas may be detected in a real-time manner by the gas temperature detector 5 the gas flow rate detector 4 and the water temperature detector 9 and the supply flow rate of water from the water supply unit 3 is controlled by the control device 6 based on the results of detection. Accordingly the water supply to the acetylene generator 1 may be controlled in a more precise manner as compared with the conventional method so that the generator 1 may be re-conditioned in a rapid and appropriate manner even under sharp changes in the temperature of water to be supplied or in the state of source material.
[0059]
(Other Embodiments)
While the embodiments of the present invention were described in the above it is to be understood that the description and the drawings give only a part of the disclosure and by no means limit the scope of the invention. Various substitutive embodiments and methods of implementation will be apparent for those skilled in the art. For example step S204 in the second embodiment is omissible. More specifically without correcting the amount of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 the calculator unit 63 may calculate the required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator 1 based on two parameters including the amount of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector 4 and the temperature of water detected the water temperature detector 9. As described in the above the present invention of course embraces other various embodiments not depicted in the above and may be modified without departing from the spirit thereof.

We Claim:

1. An acetylene generating facility comprising:
an acetylene generator generating acetylene gas by allowing calcium carbide to react with water;
a supply tank supplying calcium carbide to the acetylene generator;
a water supply unit supplying water to the acetylene generator;
a gas flow rate detector detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator;
a gas temperature detector detecting temperature of the acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and
a control device controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas.

2. The acetylene generating facility according to Claim 1 further comprising a water temperature detector detecting temperature of water supplied from the water supply unit
wherein the control device controls the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas the temperature of acetylene gas and the temperature of water.

3. The acetylene generating facility according to Claim 1
wherein the control device comprises:
a correction unit correcting a measured value of the amount of generation of acetylene gas detected by the gas flow rate detector using the temperature of acetylene gas detected by the gas temperature detector;
a calculator unit calculating required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator using the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas;
a comparator unit comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and
a regulator unit increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value.

4. An acetylene generating facility comprising:
an acetylene generator generating acetylene gas by allowing calcium carbide to react with water;
a supply tank supplying calcium carbide to the acetylene generator;
a water supply unit supplying water to the acetylene generator;
a water temperature detector detecting temperature of water supplied by the water supply unit;
a gas flow rate detector detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and
a control device controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of water.

5. The acetylene generating facility according to Claim 4
wherein the control device comprises:
a correction unit correcting a multiplying factor of supply of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the temperature of water detected by the water temperature detector;
a calculator unit calculating required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the corrected multiplying factor of supply of water and the amount of generation of acetylene gas;
a comparator unit comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and
a regulator unit increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value.

6. The acetylene generating facility according to any one of Claims 1 to 5
wherein the acetylene generator further comprises:
an input port provided to the upper portion of the acetylene generator through which calcium carbide is input;
a reaction stage provided inside the acetylene generator so as to be connected to the input port;
a plurality of spray nozzles connected to the reaction stage through which water is supplied to the reaction stage; and
a mixing stage provided on the downstream side of the reaction stage for mixing with water a by-produced slaked lime obtained by reacting calcium carbide with water
and
the control device controls ratio of flow rate of water to be supplied through the plurality of nozzles.

7. The acetylene generating facility according to any one of Claims 1 to 6
wherein the inside of the supply tank is kept by an inert gas at a pressure higher than that in the acetylene generator.

8. The acetylene generating facility according to any one of Claims 1 to 3
wherein the gas temperature detector and the gas flow rate detector respectively detect temperature and flow rate of acetylene gas which flows through an output port of a water seal trap connected to the downstream side of the acetylene generator.

9. A method of controlling an acetylene generating facility comprising:
generating acetylene gas by supplying calcium carbide and water into an acetylene generator and allowing calcium carbide and water to react with each other;
detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator;
detecting temperature of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and
controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas.

10. The method of controlling an acetylene generating facility according to Claim 9
wherein the step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of acetylene gas further comprises: correcting a measured value of the detected amount of generation of acetylene gas into a volume of dry gas using the detected temperature of acetylene gas and increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas.

11. The method of controlling an acetylene generating facility according to Claim 9
wherein the step of controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator further comprises:
correcting a measured value of the detected amount of generation of acetylene gas using the detected temperature of acetylene gas and calculating a required supply flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator using the corrected amount of generation of acetylene gas;
comparing the required supply flow rate with a reference value; and
increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator when the required supply flow rate does not match the reference value.

12. The method of controlling an acetylene generating facility according to Claim 9 further comprising:
detecting temperature of water supplied by the water supply unit
wherein the step of controlling the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator further comprises:
correcting amount of vaporization of water using the detected temperature of water and increasing or decreasing the flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on a result of correction of the amount of vaporization of water.

13. A method of controlling an acetylene generating facility comprising:
generating acetylene gas by supplying calcium carbide and water into an acetylene generator and allowing calcium carbide and water to react with each other;
detecting temperature of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator;
detecting amount of generation of acetylene gas output from the acetylene generator; and
controlling flow rate of water to be supplied to the acetylene generator based on the amount of generation of acetylene gas and the temperature of water.

14. A method of producing acetylene gas using the method of controlling an acetylene generating facility described in any one of Claims 9 to 13.

Dated this 03rd Day of April 2012.

FIG. 1 FIG. 3
3 WATER SUPPLY UNIT
4 GAS FLOW RATE DETECTOR
5 GAS TEMPERATURE DETECTOR
6 CONTROL DEVICE
61 STORAGE UNIT
62 CORRECTION UNIT
63 CALCULATOR UNIT
64 COMPARATOR UNIT
65 REGULATOR UNIT

FIG. 2
S101 ENTER CONDITIONS
S102 DETECTION
S103 CORRECT MEASURED VALUE OF AMOUNT OF GENERATION OF ACETYLENE GAS
S104 CALCULATE REQUIRED FLOW RATE OF WATER
S105 REQUIRED FLOW RATE MATCHES REFERENCE VALUE?
S106 REGULATE FLOW RATE

FIG. 4
S201 ENTER CONDITIONS
S202 DETECTION
S203 CORRECT MEASURED VALUE OF AMOUNT OF GENERATION OF ACETYLENE GAS
S204 CORRECT MULTIPLYING FACTOR OF WATER SUPPLY
S205 CALCULATE REQUIRED FLOW RATE OF WATER
S206 REQUIRED FLOW RATE MATCHES REFERENCE VALUE?
S207 REGULATE FLOW RATE

Documents:

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Patent Number

270646

Indian Patent Application Number

837/MUMNP/2012

PG Journal Number

02/2016

Publication Date

08-Jan-2016

Grant Date

06-Jan-2016

Date of Filing

03-Apr-2012

Name of Patentee

DENKI KAGAKU KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Applicant Address

1-1 Nihonbashi-Muromachi 2-chome Chuo-ku Tokyo 1038338 Japan

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	Hiroaki OMORI	c/o Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Omi Plant 2209 Oaza Omi Itoigawa-city Niigata 9490393 Japan

PCT International Classification Number

C10H 3/00, C07C 1/00

PCT International Application Number

PCT/JP2010/070293

PCT International Filing date

2010-11-15

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1			NA