Calcium carbide produces acetylene gas when it is exposed to water. In a lamp like this a chunk of calcium carbide is placed in the gas generator water from a water tank above it is dripped onto it, the gas produced passes through a tube to a lighting jet in the lamp, where it burns with a bright white light.
Below, acetylene was available in cylinders to eliminate the carbide/water step.
1 comment:
A pal of mine's dad (now dead) recalled chucking carbide to gulls - amongst bread - whilst working on whaling ships in the 50s. He'd spent the war in U-boats, so that must've been a bit of an easier life... D.
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