Acetylene is a welding gas for all types of metals. It is also used as a chemical intermediate.
Besides production of acetylene by hydrolysis of calcium carbide or by partial combustion of methane it can also be separated from the cracked gases produced in steam crackers.
In the 1960’s, Linde was the first company that implemented the continuous recovery of acetylene in a commercial steam cracker. Since then, more than 20 acetylene recovery units have been designed and successfully put into operation by Linde, including deployment for plants based on steam cracking technology from licensors other than Linde.
The Linde process uses DMF as solvent. Depending of the steam cracker feedstock type and size, acetylene production capacities of up to 15,000 metric tons per year can be achieved.
Due to the reactivity of acetylene, Linde’s design for acetylene recovery units fully accommodates highest the safety standards.