Safety Knowledge for the Use of High-Purity Acetylene

      High-purity acetylene is primarily used in industry, especially for welding metals. At room temperature, it is a colorless and highly flammable gas. Pure acetylene is a colorless, odorless, highly flammable, and toxic gas. In liquid, solid, or gaseous states, under certain pressures, it poses a serious risk of violent explosion. Factors such as heat, vibration, and electric sparks can all trigger explosions.

　　Safety Guidelines for the Safe Use of High-Purity Acetylene Cylinders:

　　1. High-purity acetylene cylinders shall be equipped with dedicated flashback arrestors and pressure regulators. If the work location is not fixed and involves frequent movement, the cylinders should be mounted on a dedicated vehicle.

　　2. It is strictly prohibited to strike, collide with, or subject the cylinder to strong vibrations, as this could cause the porous filler inside the cylinder to settle and form cavities, thereby affecting acetylene storage.

　　3. High-purity acetylene cylinders should be stored in an upright position; lying them down for use is strictly prohibited. Lying the cylinder down can cause the solvent inside to flow out along with the acetylene, and even enter the regulator and then the delivery pipe—posing a serious hazard.

　　4. Use a专用 wrench to open the high-purity acetylene cylinder. When opening the acetylene cylinder, the operator should stand behind the valve and move it gently. Never use up all the gas in the cylinder. In winter, the pressure should be 0.1 to 0.2 MPa; in summer, it should be 0.3 MPa.

　　5. The working pressure shall not exceed 0.15 MPa, and the gas flow rate shall not exceed 1.5 to 2 cubic meters (m³/hour). Bottle.

　　6. The temperature of high-purity acetylene cylinders should not exceed 40°C to prevent exposure to direct sunlight during summer. If the temperature inside the cylinder becomes too high, the solubility of acetylene will decrease, causing a sharp increase in the pressure of acetylene within the cylinder.

　　7. Acetylene cylinders must not be placed near heat sources or electrical equipment. The minimum distance from open flames should generally be no less than 10 meters (when working at height, the vertical distance from both points to the ground should be calculated).

　　8. If the bottle valve freezes in winter, absolutely do not use fire to thaw it. If necessary, use warm water below 40°C to defrost it.

　　9. The connection between the high-purity acetylene regulator and the cylinder valve must be secure and reliable. Absolutely no use is permitted to prevent gas leakage. Otherwise, a mixture of acetylene and air could form, which would explode upon contact with an open flame.

　　10. It is strictly prohibited to use this equipment in poorly ventilated or radiation-prone areas, and it must not be placed on insulating materials such as rubber. When using acetylene cylinders and oxygen cylinders, the distance between them should be greater than 10 meters.

　　11. When a gas cylinder is found to be defective, the operator must not attempt to repair it on their own and must notify the safety supervisor to return it to the gas plant for handling.

　　Precautions for storing high-purity acetylene:

　　1. In places where high-purity acetylene cylinders are used, the storage capacity shall not exceed 5 cylinders. For storage capacities between 5 and 20 cylinders, the cylinders must be stored separately from walls using non-combustible or fire-resistant materials within the site or workshop, with one side adjacent to an exterior wall. When the storage exceeds 20 cylinders, a dedicated acetylene cylinder storage room must be established. Acetylene cylinder storage rooms with a storage capacity not exceeding 40 cylinders may be constructed adjacent to production facilities with a fire resistance rating of at least Grade II. The adjacent walls must be fire-resistant walls without doors, windows, or openings, and no pipelines are permitted to pass through them.

　　2. The storage room should be located at least 15 meters away from areas where open flames or sparks may occur, and it should not be situated in a basement or semi-basement.

　　3. The storage room for high-purity acetylene should be equipped with adequate ventilation and cooling facilities. To avoid direct sunlight and ensure unobstructed transportation routes, fire hydrants as well as dry powder or carbon dioxide fire extinguishers should be readily available nearby.