Apparatus for producing hypochlorite solutions and introducing same into confined bodies of water

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING A HYPOCHLORITE SOLUTION FROM A WATER-SOLUBLE ELECTRICALLY-DECOMPOSABLE METALLIC CHLORIDE SALT AND FOR INTRODUCING SUCH SOLUTION INTO A CONFINED BODY OF WATER FOR PURPOSES OF PURIFYING SAME WHICH COMPRISES, AN IMMERSIBLE BRINE TANK ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A CHARGE OF SALT, SAID TANK INCLUDING MEANS ADAPTED TO INTRODUCE THE WATER IN WHICH SAID TANK IS IMMERSED INTO THE BOTTOM THEREOF WHILE PREVENTING THE RETURN FLOW OF BRINE, THERETHROUGH, SAID LAST MEANS COMPRISING VENTED CONDUIT MEANS OPENING BENEATH THE WATER SURFACE AND A SECOND CONDUIT FORMING MEANS CONNECTED INTO SAID VENTED CONDUIT MEANS AT A POINT BENEATH THE LEVEL TO WHICH THE WATER RISES THEREIN WHILE OPENING INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID TANK AT A LEVEL SPACED BENEATH THE POINT OF CONNECTION WITH SAID VENTED CONDUIT, AT LEAST ONE ELECTROLYSIS CELL CONTAINING AN UPSTANDING CATHODE AND ANODE OPERATIVE UPON THE APPLICATION OF A SUITABLE ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL THEREBETWEEN TO DECOMPOSE THE BRINE INTO THE HYDROXIDE OF THE SALT''S CATION TOGETHER WITH HYDROGEN AND CHLORINE GASES, MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE BRINE TANK AND AT LEAST ONE OF THE CELLS ADAPTED TO INTRODUCE THE BRINE INTO THE SAID ONE CELL ADJACENT THE LOWER END OF THE ELECTRODES, BUOYANT SUPPORTING MEANS ATTACHED TO THE BRINE TANK AND ELECTROLYSIS CELLS ADAPTED TO FLOAT SAME PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN A BODY OF WATER, LIQUID DISCHARGE MEANS CONNECTED INTO AT LEAST ONE CELL IN POSITION TO RECIVE THE LIQUID HYPOCHLORITE REACTION PRODUCT RESULTING FROM THE CHEMICAL COMBINATION OF THE HYDROXIDE AND CHLORINE GAS AND DELILVER SAID PRODUCT TO THE CONFINED BODY OF WATER BEING TREATED AT A POINT UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE THEREOF, AND GASEOUS-DISCHARGE MEANS CONNECTED INTO EACH CELL ABOVE THE LIQUID LEVEL THEREIN ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE REMAINING UNREACTED GASEOUS PRODUCTS EVOLVED DURING THE ELECTROLYSIS AND DELIVER SAME INTO SAID BODY OF WATER IN WHICH SAID CELL IS IMMERSED ADJACENT THE OUTSIDE SURFACE THEREOF SOI AS TO CAUSE CIRCULATION SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE SAID CELL AT A LEVEL EFFECTIVE TO INHIBIT HYPOCHLORATE FORMATION.