Acetylene storage vessel

Claim 1

An acetylene storage vessel comprising: a metal shell; a hardened asbestos free monolithic calcium silicate filler comprising at least 35 percent by weight crystalline phase and having a porosity of at least about 85 percent disposed in and substantially filling said metal shell for receiving an acetylene gas solution with said porosity being provided by substantially uniformly distributed very fine pores having a size of about 0.05 to 25 microns and with said calcium silicate filler being substantially absent of voids; said calcium silicate filler material having a fibrous reinforcing material constituting at least 0.5 percent by weight said calcium silicate filler being disposed substantially uniformly throughout said calcium silicate; and wherein said fibrous reinforcing material is an alkali resistant glass fiber.

Claim 13

A method for forming an acetylene storage vessel having a hardened porous monolithic filler material for receiving a dissolved acetylene gas solution comprising: (a) providing an asbestos free aqueous slurry comprising water, CaO and SiO 2 wherein the weight ratio of CaO to SiO 2 is 0.6 to 1.0; (b) dispersing an asbestos free settling resistant and reinforcing fibrous material in said slurry said fibrous material being an alkali resistant glass fiber wherein said fiberous material is added in quantity sufficient to constitute at least 0.5 percent of the solids weight of the fiber containing slurry composition with said slurry composition having a water volume percent of at least about 85 percent; (c) disposing said asbestos free slurry composition in said acetylene storage vessel so as to substantially fill said vessel; (d) autoclaving said slurry in said acetylene storage vessel at saturated steam pressure and elevated temperature to form said calcium silicate product comprising at least 35 percent by weight crystalline phase with said fibers dispersed substantially uniformly throughout said calcium silicate product and wherein said calcium silicate product substantially fills said acetylene storage vessel; (e) baking said acetylene storage vessel containing said calcium silicate product until said product has a porosity of at least about 85 percent said porosity being provided by uniformly distributed very fine pores having a size of about 0.05 to 25 microns and being substantially absent voids thereby providing said acetylene storage vessel with said filler product in monolithic form for receiving said dissolved acetylene gas solution.

Claim 14

A method for forming an acetylene storage vessel having a hardened porous monolithic filler material for receiving a dissolved acetylene gas solution comprising: (a) providing an asbestos free aqueous slurry comprising water, CaO and SiO 2 wherein the weight ratio of CaO to SiO 2 is 0.6 to 1.0; (b) dispersing an asbestos free settling resistant and reinforcing fibrous material in said slurry said fibrous material being an alkali resistant glass fiber wherein said fiberous material is added in quantity sufficient to constitute at least 0.5 percent of the solids weight of the fiber containing slurry composition with said slurry composition having a water volume percent of at least about 85 percent; (c) disposing said asbestos free slurry composition in said acetylene storage vessel so as to substantially fill said vessel; (d) autoclaving said slurry in said acetylene storage vessel at saturated steam pressure and elevated temperature to form said calcium silicate product comprising at least 35 percent by weight crystalline phase with said fibers dispersed substantially uniformly throughout said calcium silicate product and wherein said calcium silicate product substantially fills said acetylene storage vessel; (e) baking said acetylene storage vessel containing said calcium silicate product until said product has a porosity of at least about 85 percent said porosity being provided by uniformly distributed very fine pores having a size of about 0.05 to 25 microns and being substantially absent voids thereby providing said acetylene storage vessel with said filler product in monolithic form for receiving said dissolved acetylene gas solution.