Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process - Discussion

Commercial production of calcium carbide requires limestone and coke (a form of processed coal) as raw materials.

The production process involves heating a mixture of limestone and coke in an electric arc furnace to a temperature of about 2000 °C. This results in a chemical reaction between the limestone and coke, which produces calcium carbide and carbon dioxide as by-products.

Calcium carbide is an important industrial chemical, widely used in the production of acetylene gas, which is used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is also used in the production of other chemicals, such as acetic acid and PVC.

The raw materials used to produce calcium carbide are relatively inexpensive and widely available, making it a cost-effective chemical to produce on a large scale.