Abstract: A process for cooling gaseous chlorine in which gaseous chlorine at elevated temperature and at a pressure of greater than 0.5 bar gauge, for example, up to 12 bar gauge, is cooled by directly contacting the gaseous chlorine with an aqueous solution of a solute, for example, with an aqueous alkali metal chloride solution from which chlorine may be produced by electrolysis.

Abstract: An apparatus for effecting direct contact between a gas and a liquid which has at least one substantially vertical channel, formed for example by a pair of parallel plates, a port for introducing gas at a lower part of the channel, a port for introducing liquid to the channel, and a port for removing gas and liquid at an upper part of the channel, the height of the channel being substantially greater than the distance between the walls which define the channel such that gas at elevated pressure, when introduced into the channel, can cause liquid to move upwardly in the channel and to be removed from the channel. The apparatus may be associated with an electrolytic cell in which a gas is produced by electrolysis. Also, a process for effecting direct contact between a gas and a liquid is disclosed.

Abstract: An electrolytic cell of the type to which electrolyte is continuously charged and from which a product or products of electrolysis is or are continuously removed, the electrolytic cell being associated in close proximity with an item or items of apparatus in which electrolyte may be treated prior to charging to the electrolytic cell and/or in which a product or products of electrolysis may be treated after removal from the electrolytic cell. Also, a plurality of such electrolytic cells and items of apparatus. Electrolyte may be purified in the items of apparatus associated in close proximity with the electrolytic cells prior to charging to the cells, and the product streams from the cells may be treated in the items of apparatus prior to combining the product streams.

Abstract: A differential gas pressure control device for an electroylytic cell which comprises an anode compartment in which in operation a gas is generated, a cathode compartment in which in operation a gas is generated, a pipe leading from the anode compartment(s) of the cell through which in operation anode gas passes, and a pipe leading from the cathode compartment(s) of the cell through which in operation cathode gas passes, in which the control device comprises a movable flow controller positioned so as to control the flow of anode gas in the pipe and a moveable flow controller positioned so as to control the flow of cathode gas in the pipe, in which the flow controllers are operatively connected, and in which in operation the anode and cathode gases independently act upon the flow controllers which control the flow of cathode gas and of anode gas respectively.

Abstract: A process for dechlorinating a chlorine-containing aqueous solution of an alkali metal chloride which process comprises contacting the solution with a face of a porous membrane of a hydrophobic material and contacting an aqueous liquid with an opposite face of said membrane. The porous membrane may be a porous film of polytetrafluoroethylene.