Abstract: An improved laundry treatment system comprises a washer which is connected to discharge used water to a tank for filtration and recirculation to the washer, and a tank containing water for making up losses in the wash cycle, and an electrolytic cell therein comprising an enclosed compartment. The electrolytic cell comprises an enclosed compartment containing an anode and a cathode supported on the outside and inside respectively of an opening in the wall of the compartment open to the surrounding liquid when the compartment is immersed in the water in said tank for producing mixed oxidants dissolved in the make up water for oxidizing deleterious components without damaging the fabric being washed.

Abstract: A small portable electrolytic cell has an enclosed electrode in a compartment and an exposed electrode open to an electrolyte into which the cell is immersed. The cell is operable when immersed in aqueous liquid containing a chloride salt to generate chlorine or other oxidant when said exposed electrode is an anode, or to increase the pH of said liquid when said exposed electrode is a cathode.

Abstract: Sour natural gas, containing H.sub.2 S and organic sulfide contaminants, is contacted with a sweetening composition comprising an aqueous solution of a substantially equimolar mixture of OCl and HO.sub.2. (preferably NaOCl and NaOOH) for a time sufficient to oxidize the sulfides to an odorless form. The solution has a pH of 9.0-10.5, an oxidation normality of 0.001-0.1. The solution may be produced by mixing Cl.sub.2 into a dilute aqueous solution of NaOH at about pH 10.5 until the pH reaches a level of about 9.5-10.5, or produced electrochemically in a diaphragm cell having a bipolar electrode in the same compartment as the anode, collecting the effluent gas from the cell and absorbing said effluent gas into a dilute aqueous solution of NaOH at about pH 9.5-10.5. The treatment may be run as an adjunct to a metal chelate redox treatment to improve the oxidation by the redox catalyst and to improve the catalyst regeneration.

Abstract: A method for conversion of comminuted cellulosic agricultural wastes into a form edible by ruminant animals comprises treating such wastes, e.g., straw, corn stalks and husks, cotton wastes, peanut shells, saw dust, grains (corn, sorghum), etc. by treating with an aqueous solution of a mixed oxidant gas, at a pH of about 7-9, to produce a total water content of less than 20%, a pH of about 7.5-8.3, and NaOH content of less than 5.0% in the waste. The mixed-oxidant gas is produced by a novel electrolytic cell having an anode compartment, cathode compartment and membrane separating the compartments to permit a limited flow of electrolyte therebetween. The anode compartment contains a plurality of anodes and bi-polar electrodes supported in a substantially co-planar relation spaced laterally from each other. The anodes are electrically connected and the bi-polar electrodes are insulated therefrom.

Abstract: A method for conversion of comminuted cellulosic agricultural wastes into a form edible by ruminant animals comprises treating such wastes, e.g., straw, corn stalks and husks, cotton wastes, peanut shells, saw dust, grains (corn, sorghum), etc. by treating with an aqueous solution of a mixed oxidant gas, at a pH of about 7-9, to produce a total water content of less than 20%, a pH of about 7.5-8.3, and NaOH content of less than 5.0% in the waste. The mixed-oxidant gas is produced by a novel electrolytic cell having an anode compartment, cathode compartment and membrane separating the compartments to permit a limited flow of electrolyte therebetween. The anode compartment contains a plurality of anodes and bi-polar electrodes supported in a substantially co-planar relation spaced laterally from each other. The anodes are electrically connected and the bi-polar electrodes are insulated therefrom.

Abstract: A method for improving the digestibility or crop residues and feed grains for livestock is disclosed in which such crop residues and grains are treated with an aqueous solution of chlorites at a pH at or above 9, except for sorghum grain which is buffered so that the solution has a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. The treated grains are satisfactory feed for ruminant animals, improved by about 50% in digestibility and are non-toxic.

Abstract: A method for conversion of comminuted cellulosic agricultural wastes into a form edible by ruminant animals comprises treating such wastes, e.g., straw, corn stalks and husks, cotton wastes, peanut shells, saw dust, etc. by spraying with an aqueous solution of a mixed oxidant gas, at a pH of about 11-12, to produce a total water content of less than 20%, a pH of about 11.4-11.7, and NaOH content of less than 5.0% in the waste. The mixed-oxidant gas is preferably produced by a gas generator comprising an electrolytic cell having an anode compartment, a bipolar electrode in the anode compartment, a cathode compartment and a membrane separating the compartments to permit only a limited flow of electrolyte therebetween. When a low salt concentration solution is electrolyzed in this cell, the output is a mixed oxidant gas containing chlorine and various oxygen-containing species. The gas generator which is preferred is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,681.

Abstract: A method for conversion of comminuted cellulosic agricultural wastes into a form edible by ruminant animals comprises treating such wastes, e.g., straw, corn husks, cotton wastes, peanut shells, saw dust, etc. by spraying with an aqueous solution of a mixed oxidant gas, at a pH of about 11-12, to produce a water content of less than 40% and a pH of about 11.4-11.7 in the waste. The mixed-oxidant gas is preferably produced by a gas generator comprising an electrolytic cell having an anode compartment, a cathode compartment and a membrane separating the compartments to permit only a limited flow of electrolyte therebetween. When a low salt concentration solution is electrolyzed in this cell, the output is a mixed oxidant gas containing chlorine and various oxygen-containing species. Another gas generator which may be used is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,681. The oxidant gas produced from dilute salt solutions contains chlorine, chlorine dioxide and other oxygen-containing gases.

Abstract: An electrolytic cell is disclosed comprising two or more compartments containing an anode, cathode, and one or more electrically neutral bi-polar electrodes. These cells can be utilized as batch or flowing cells. Increased capacity and lower maintenance is obtained using a diaphragm separating the compartments. This diaphragm is a special, finely woven synthetic non-ionic fabric having a low permeability. The preferred diaphragm is of Kanecaron modacrylic fiber. The bi-polar electrodes may be any of several configurations and act as a charged electrical component in a solution. When bi-polar electrodes are used in an anode compartment of a chlorine electrolytic cell, oxygen species are produced which blend with the chlorine species of a standard anode reaction to produce Cl.sub.2, ClO.sub.2 and oxygen species. When used in a cathode compartment, bi-polar electrode configurations serve to cool the caustic due to the agitation occuring on the bi-polars as well as increase buildup of caustic concentration.

Abstract: A continuous electrolytic generator is disclosed having two sealed compartments, separated by a cation exchange membrane, having a cathode in one compartment, and an anode in the other. A bipolar electrode is positioned in the anode compartment between the cation exchange membrane and the anode. The bipolar electrode may be supported on the dividing wall spaced from the ion-exchange membrane. The bipolar membrane may also be supported on the anode on insulators in spaced relation thereto. The generator has exterior reservoirs for continuously circulating solutions to and from the anode and cathode compartments. A third reservoir receives make-up water and salt and is connected to supply brine to the exterior anode reservoir. The cell produces a mixture of oxidant gases containing chlorine, chlorine dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and possibly ozone, from the anode compartment which is connected to a gas collection and utilization system, e.g., a venturi in a flowing water line.

Abstract: A system for desulfurization of sulfur-containing coal comprises apparatus for comminuting sulfur-containing coal, a gas/solid reactor having an inlet and an outlet, a connection or conduit for supplying the comminuted sulfur-containing coal to the reactor inlet, and an oxidant gas generator constructed in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,681 connected to supply an oxidant gas to the reactor. The oxidant gas produced from concentrated salt solutions contains substantial amounts of chlorine dioxide, while the oxidant gas produced from dilute salt solutions contains other oxygen-containing gases. The oxidant gas is introduced at pressures which may range from sub-atmospheric to super-atomospheric and the comminuted coal is mixed or agitated to insure efficient gas/solid contact. The oxidant gas oxidizes the sulfur contaminants of the coal to gaseous sulfur oxides which are removed from the reactor. The desulfurized comminuted coal may be slurried for pipeline transmission.

Abstract: An electrolytic generator is disclosed for use in treating water in swimming pools, baths, reservoirs, sewage, etc., and in bleaching chemical pulp. The generator is of the type consisting of two sealed compartments separated by an ion-permeable membrane and having a cathode in one compartment and an anode in the other. Hydrogen is evolved from the cathode compartment and a chlorine/chlorine dioxide mixture from the anode compartment. In this generator, an electrically neutral or bipolar electrode (one not connected in the anode-cathode circuit) is positioned adjacent to the anode or between the anode and the cathode adjacent to the ion-permeable membrane in the anode compartment. This electrolytic generator is characterized by a more rapid start up and generates a mixture of chlorine and chlorine dioxide at both the anode and the neutral electrode.

Abstract: An electrolytic generator is disclosed having two sealed compartments, separated by a cation exchange membrane, and having a cathode in one compartment and an anode in the other compartment. The cation exchange membrane is positioned directly in line between the anode and the cathode. The anode-containing compartment is provided with a bottom inlet for introduction of extra chlorine. A bypass flow line is provided between the anode and the cathode-containing compartments with a pump for circulating the solution from the cathode-containing compartment into the anode-containing compartment to control the pH therein. The anode-containing compartment is provided with a pH monitor to measure the pH adjacent to the anode and to operate the pump to pump the solution from the cathode-containing compartment to maintain a pH of about 1.8-5.0 in the anode-containing compartment. When the cell is filled with brine and energized, and the anode-containing compartment is maintained at pH 1.8-5.

Abstract: An electrolytic generator is disclosed having three sealed compartments, separated by two spaced ion-permeable membranes, one being a cation exchange membrane and the other being an anion exchange membrane, having a cathode in one end compartment, adjacent to the cation exchange membrane, and an anode in the other end compartment, adjacent to the anion exchange membrane. A bipolar electrode is positioned in the middle compartment between the anion and cation exchange membranes. When the cell is filled with brine and energized, hydrogen is evolved from the cathode-containing compartment and a chlorine/chlorine dioxide mixture from the anode-containing compartment for use in bleaching or in treating bodies of water, such as, swimming pools, baths, reservoirs, sewage, etc. The anode, cathode and bipolar electrode are preferably flat plate electrodes, although other configurations, such as, cylindrical electrodes may be used. The generator is characterized by a rapid start up when energized with electricity.

Abstract: A chlorine generator is disclosed for use in chlorinating water in swimming pools, baths, reservoirs, sewage, etc. The generator is of the type consisting of two sealed compartments separated by an ion-permeable membrane and having a cathode in one compartment and an anode in the other. Hydrogen is evolved from the cathode compartment and chlorine from the anode compartment. In this generator, an electrically neutral or bipolar electrode (one not connected in the anode-cathode circuit) is positioned between the anode and the cathode adjacent to the ion-permeable membrane in the anode compartment. The chlorine generator is characterized by a more rapid start up in generating chlorine and in more rapid and more efficient generation of chlorine with chlorine being released at both the anode and the neutral electrode.

Abstract: An electrolytic generator is disclosed for use in treating water in swimming pools, baths, reservoirs, sewage, etc., and in bleaching chemical pulp. The generator is of the type consisting of two sealed compartments separated by an ion-permeable membrane and having a cathode in one compartment and an an anode in the other. Hydrogen is evolved from the cathode compartment and a chlorine/chlorine dioxide mixture from the anode compartment. In this generator, an electrically neutral or bipolar electrode (one not connected in the anode-cathode circuit) is positioned adjacent to the anode or between the anode and the cathode adjacent to the ion-permeable membrane in the anode compartment. This electrolytic generator is characterized by a more rapid start up and generates a mixture of chlorine and chlorine dioxide at both the anode and the neutral electrode.