Kemgas profits on lime problem
15 Jan 2000
Carbide lime - a waste product from the production of acetylene from calcium carbide - is an environmental problem in many regions. French process technology specialist Kemgas is now close to commercialising a process that could change this liability into an asset.
The Kemgas process involves heating `dry' carbide lime to convert it into very finely divided calcium oxide, which can be converted into calcium hydroxide by reaction with water and then to precipitated calcium chloride - for which a large market ecists - by carbonation. A separate chemical process converts `wet' carbide lime into pure hydrated lime This can again be converted to PCC by carbonation.
