Abelló Linde Centenary Book

PRODUCTION
ndustrial gases, and especially oxygen, constituted the main body of the
Icompany’s production. As has been explained, the main application of
industrial oxygen was autogenous welding for cutting and welding
metals. If it was wished to give a complete service, it was necessary to supply all
the elements needed: blowtorches and everything to do with oxyacetylene
cutting, in which the flame is a product of compressed oxygen and acetylene,
obtained from calcium carbide.
Calcium carbide is obtained from calcium treated in an electrical furnace.
The action of water on this compound gives as a result acetylene, a gas that burns
with a very bright flame. A kilogram of calcium carbide gives about 300 litres of
acetylene gas, something that turned this gas into a direct competitor of electricity
and gas for lighting. Carbide lights, popular at the end of the 19 th century, were
used until electricity reached everywhere. Acetylene was also used for heating.
In 1922 the potential oxygen production of the three factories in Barcelona
was as follows:
Abelló, Oxígeno-Linde 150 m 3 /hr
S. E. de Carburos Metálicos 80 ”
Productos y Suministros 30 ”
Abelló, Oxígeno-Linde purchased the calcium carbide to produce acetylene
from the Sociedad Electrometalúrgica del Ebro SA. In 1924, as we shall see in the
next chapter, they reached an agreement with Carburos Metálicos for this
company – more specialised in this product – to supply it to them, while they
were making oxygen for the two companies.
The oxygen production during these years has not been found. But some
references, in letters to the Germans or in internal memos, allow us to take a
guess at it.
Production in Barcelona - 1924 (in m 3 )
april may june october
To the customers 20,744 22,651 21,217 22.294
By Carburos Metálicos 19,542 20,838 18,877
Installations for oxygen production at
La Sagrera factory
66 The early years of Abelló, Oxígeno-Linde S.A. (1922-1935)