# Acetylene Shortage?



## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

I was just in my local welding shop and they're telling me HUGE shortages of acetylene due to the calcium carbide plant that blew up in Kentucky. I'm going to grab an extra B tank but they guy at the counter said the shortage might last up to a year. Anybody else here this?

http://www.kentucky.com/2011/03/22/1681010/2-dead-after-explosion-fire-at.html






Paul


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

rocksteady said:


> I was just in my local welding shop and they're telling me HUGE shortages of acetylene due to the calcium carbide plant that blew up in Kentucky. I'm going to grab an extra B tank but they guy at the counter said the shortage might last up to a year. Anybody else here this?
> 
> http://www.kentucky.com/2011/03/22/1681010/2-dead-after-explosion-fire-at.html
> 
> Paul


 I have -- It's also affecting the supply of MAAP gas.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

That's too bad about those (2) people dying and (2) others injured.


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

Tommy plumber said:


> That's too bad about those (2) people dying and (2) others injured.


Yes it is. From what I found out online they both died of 3rd degree burns suffered and not from the explosion itself so it wasn't painless by any means. I really feel for those guys. I didn't even know about it until the guy at the counter mentioned it. I guess it happened at about 5:40pm and I'm thinking more would have died if it had been earlier on in the day.





Paul


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

Widdershins said:


> I have -- It's also affecting the supply of MAAP gas.


Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but that shortage of Mapp gas has been apparent for years. Just a few short years ago, while I was still an apprenti, working at the local hardware store on weekends, I remember reading a memo from our Mapp supplier, that there was a worldwide shortage that, to their knowledge, would never be fulfilled again. (how's that for a run-on sentence?!?) 

I believe the supplier was "worthington". Their solution was to introduce bottles of what they had called "Mapp/Pro" gas and sent out charts showing that the characteristics for it's intended purpose (soldering and brazing of course) were very similar, better in fact, in some criteria.

Like I stated, that was several years ago, and I'm sure much COULD HAVE changed between then and now.

Does N E 1 have anything to add? Speculation as well as factual information will be accepted under these circumstances... 

And what is the radius of said expected shortage? I just read, that as a rough estimate ( I don't know how it's measured, from where to where) that Kentucky is approximately 1,436 kilometers away (or 892 miles for my imperial laden friends) from my home province of Ontario. This can't be the only acetylene manufacturing plant in North America, (although during the gas transition at the hdwr store that I spoke of, I believe they said there was only one or two that produced Mapp gas).

I will have to do some research into how acetylene is made ( I know it can't be made, but how it is extracted I guess). And where mine comes from when I fill my tank.

Consumable gas production/refinery/distribution is actually a very interesting topic. I do know some things about how certain gasses (that are common in our atmosphere) are extracted/produced).

Has anyone here ever heard of a cold box?

Sent from my iPhone using Memories as well as questions...


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## J&MCylinderGase (Apr 1, 2011)

ey guys this is real. i am a general manager at an acetylene production facility in decatur, alabama. our carbide supply has been completely cut off. the carbide industries plant in kentucky is the only carbide manufacturing facility in north america and we have no clue as to when the carbide supply will open up again. all the major companies have put their customers on alottment and i cant get ANYTHING for myself and my customers because i am competition.....or at least i was. i have been on the phone and email for two weeks trying to arrange a shipment from overseas but thats going to take at least a month. soon we will get some sort of flow going but expect prices to skyrocket because the destroyed plant fed about 60-70% of the acetylene market while western and airgas picked up the rest. now its down to the two and at the current rate they cant keep up with demand. their are many plans across the states to get some kind of supply so bear with your local company and maybe we can rebuild this industry soon. There is a product out there called magnegas that is made from recycled hydrocarbons (ie antifreeze, burnt oil, etc) that outperforms propane and propylene and is as hot if not hotter than acetylene. You can do your own search for them. This is not a pitch or scam. My company recently found out about this product and had them demo it at our facility and i was impressed. It's something to look into when the acetylene gets hard to find and very costly.


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## J&MCylinderGase (Apr 1, 2011)

also in response to the post above mine:

acetylene is made by mixing calcium carbide with water. the chemical reaction produces acetylene and lime as a byproduct. the carbide is made by mixing quicklime and coke (not that kind lol) and heating it to high temps (3800 degrees f). the carbide and water are mixed in a controlled rate in an acetylene generator then pumped into the bottles you get by a compressor. it generally takes around 8 hrs to fill a line of 80 bottles. with the carbide flow cut off we cant get the raw materials in north america without relying on costly overseas imports. the companies that are still producing use a different method. they have contracts with ethylene plants to retrieve acetylene produced as a byproduct of their manufacturing method. they cant keep up with the evergrowing demand so shortages happen. how long will it last we dont know but it could be up to a year or even more.


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

just talked to my supplier, and they have 1,100 some odd bottles of mapp gas in their system.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Apparently you can make your own hydrogen gas and use it in a torch

http://www.making-hydrogen.com/hydrogen-torch.html


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

J&MCylinderGase said:


> also in response to the post above mine:
> 
> acetylene is made by mixing calcium carbide with water. the chemical reaction produces acetylene and lime as a byproduct. the carbide is made by mixing quicklime and coke (not that kind lol) and heating it to high temps (3800 degrees f). the carbide and water are mixed in a controlled rate in an acetylene generator then pumped into the bottles you get by a compressor. it generally takes around 8 hrs to fill a line of 80 bottles. with the carbide flow cut off we cant get the raw materials in north america without relying on costly overseas imports. the companies that are still producing use a different method. they have contracts with ethylene plants to retrieve acetylene produced as a byproduct of their manufacturing method. they cant keep up with the evergrowing demand so shortages happen. how long will it last we dont know but it could be up to a year or even more.


We appreciate the info, but I am going to have to cut you loose.

Thanks again for stopping by.


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

OldSchool said:


> Apparently you can make your own hydrogen gas and use it in a torch
> 
> http://www.making-hydrogen.com/hydrogen-torch.html


ATF agents may have something to say about that here. :whistling2:


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

You're not going to let the newest member of the white hat brigade do the honors???
:jester:

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


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## DIZ (Nov 17, 2010)

U.A.til.I.die said:


> You're not going to let the newest member of the white hat brigade do the honors???
> :jester:
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


Airgap in a white hat. hahahaha.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

easttexasplumb said:


> ATF agents may have something to say about that here. :whistling2:


You guys have way to many law enforcement agencies....

ATF is into fuel too? I though they just chased after Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.


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## LEAD INGOT (Jul 15, 2009)

OldSchool said:


> You guys have way to many law enforcement agencies....
> 
> ATF is into fuel too? I though they just chased after Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.


 If you take a potato gun and install an electronic igniter, drop in an acetylyne tablet and a splash of beer. You have a " semi-automatic", spud gun. Thereby involving the ATF. If you think about it, it really makes sense.:whistling2:


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## breid1903 (Feb 8, 2009)

oldie. your right. we have become the country of fear. we live in fear. we need more cops to protect us. we haven't "won" a war since ww2. we are even losing the war on personal freedom. i've lived canada and i don't see the fear that i see here. fraidy cats. lol. breid..............:rockon:


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

Ok, maybe bomb squad.


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