What is the Calcium Carbide?
Calcium Carbide is also called calcium acetylide, which is a chemical compound having the chemical formula of CaC2. Mainly, it is used industrially for the production of calcium cyanimide and acetylene and Ethylene. The material in its pure form is without color however the industrial calcium carbide compounds are either brown or grey and consist of about 80–85% of CaC2 (the remaining is CaO – calcium oxide, Ca3P2 – calcium phosphide, Ca3N2 – calcium nitride, CaS – calcium sulfide, SiC – silicon carbide and more). In trace moisture presence, the carbide technical-grade emits an unpleasant odor which is reminiscent of garlic and also the material explodes in presence of certain amount of water.
CAS Number for Calcium Carbide is 75-20-7 and it has the EC number of 200-848-3
The high temperature that is required for this reaction is practically not achievable by traditional combustion. So, this reaction is performed in an electric arc furnace using graphite electrodes. By weight, the produced carbide product will contain around 80% of the calcium carbide. Also, carbide is further crushed to produce small lumps that can range up to a maximum of 50 mm, and the impurities are concentrated in the finer fractions.
Applications of Calcium Carbide
Carbide is used in different industries and applications including:
Production of acetylene
The reaction of calcium carbide with water, producing acetylene and calcium hydroxide. This reaction was the basis of the industrial manufacturing of acetylene, and is the major industrial use of calcium carbide.
CaC2(s) + 2H2O(l) → C2H2(g) + Ca(OH)2(aq)
Production of Calcium Cyanimide
Carbide reacts with nitrogen at high temperatures to form calcium cyanimide, commonly known as nitro lime and is used as a fertilizer.
CaC2 + N2 → CaCN2 + C
Steelmaking- Metallurgical Applications
• In the desulfurization of iron (pig iron, cast iron and steel)
• As a fuel in steelmaking to extend the scrap ratio to liquid iron, depending on economics.
• As a powerful deoxidizer at ladle treatment facilities.
Calcium carbide were used in carbide lamps. Water dripping on carbide produces acetylene gas, which burns and produces light. While these lamps provided steadier and brighter light than candles, they were dangerous in coal mines, where flammable methane gas made them a serious hazard. Carbide lamps were still used extensively in slate, copper, and tin mines where methane is not a serious hazard. Most miners’ lamps have now been replaced by electric lamps.
Carbide Lamps is an old application such as the headlights in the older generation vehicles.
Calcium Carbide is used in producing polyvinyl chloride as acetylene, which is the derivative of calcium carbide and is used as a raw material for PVC production.
Production of Calcium Hydroxide
Ripening agent such as ethylene and also for ripening fruits
It is also used as a deoxidizer, which means it helps in oxygen removal during steel manufacturing.
neutralize the acid rain affects in farming
bamboo cannons and big-bang cannons
Our Supply of Calcium Carbide
Zista Group is in position to supply Carbide with different particle sizes for different applications as per below table and specifications:
Physical Specifications of Calcium Carbide | |||
Melting Point | Density (gr/cmᵌ) | Bulk density (gr/cmᵌ) | |
2300⁰C | 2-2.3 gr/cmᵌ | 1.45 | 1.65 |
Chemical Specifications of Calcium Carbide | |||||||||||
Ca | C min | Mg | NI | Al | Cr | CU | SI | Fe | Zn | P | S |
77.3% | 20% | 0.21 | 0.002% | 0.7 | 0.002 | 0.003 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.001 | 0.06 | 0.4 |
Particle Size |
25 - 70 mm |
30 – 80 mm |
5 – 25 mm |
3 – 5 mm |
1 – 3 mm |
Note: Iranian Carbide has a relatively high gas yield which provides the possibility to be used in acetylene manufacturing.
Available Packaging for Carbide:
100% Waterproof New Steel drum – Net Weight 50, Gross Weight 53 kg
Shrink Wrapped and Palletized
Drum Plate Thickness: 0.7 mm
18 Drums per Standard Pallet 110cm × 110cm
