Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a sterilizing solution, wherein there is generated a supply of softened water by passing water through an ion-exchange water softener, and a supply of saturated salt solution by mixing a first part of the supply of softened water with a supply of salt. A second part of the supply of softened water is mixed together with a first part of the supply of saturated salt solution in a predetermined ratio and passed through at an electrolytic cell having a working chamber and an auxiliary chamber separated by a porous membrane, one of the chambers including an anode and the other including a cathode, the output from the working chamber being the sterilizing solution. The ion-exchange water softener is regenerated with a second part of the supply of saturated salt solution.

Abstract: This invention relates to the manufacture of composite propellants containing rubbery binders and particulate non-binder ingredients. The process consists of curing a mixture of a functionally-terminated hydro-carbon prepolymer and a cross-linking agent to form a viscoelastic first binder composition, mixing the binder with non-binder ingredients to form a plastic propellant, and rubberising at least a part of the plastic propellant by adding to it a further quantity of the cross-linking agent, provided the propellant is formed into a propellant charge while still in a plastic state. The further quantity of the cross-linking agent may be mixed in with the plastic propellant prior to forming, or applied to the surface of the plastic propellant after having been formed into a charge.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the prepolymer consists of an hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene having a molecular weight of about 3000 and a functionally of about 2.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for generating a sterilizing solution through the electrolytic treatment of an aqueous salt solution. An aqueous salt solution is passed, under pressure, into the working chamber of an electrolytic cell, which cell is divided into a working chamber and an auxiliary chamber by a permeable membrane. The solution is filtered through the membrane, and collected from an output of the auxiliary chamber. Gases, such as chlorine, liberated in the working chamber during electrolysis, are dissolved in a water supply, and this water supply is partially or fully mixed with the output of the auxiliary chamber so as to generate a sterilizing solution. The method and apparatus disclosed serves to generate a sterilizing solution with less expenditure of energy and raw materials than in the prior art.