Abstract: The invention relates to a thermochemical device and to a method for producing refrigeration at very low temperature. The device produces refrigeration at a temperature Tf<?20° C., from an available heat source at a temperature Th of 60-80° C. and a heat sink at the ambient temperature To of 10° C.-25° C. It comprises two coupled dipoles, operating in phase opposition. The thermochemical phenomena in one of the dipoles are such that this dipole may produce refrigeration at Tf with a heat sink at the ambient temperature To. The thermochemical phenomena in the other dipole are such that this dipole may be regenerated from the heat source Th and a heat sink at the temperature To.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for air conditioning a building using an intermittent heat source whereof the maximum temperature is 70° C. and a heat sink at a temperature of 15° C. The device comprises 3 or 4 thermochemical dipoles each comprising an evaporator-condenser unit and a reactor connected by means for circulating G between them and means for interrupting the flow of G. The reactors are the seat of reversible processes between G and a liquid or a solid, and the evaporators-condensers are the seat of a liquid-gas phase change of G; the reactors are equipped with means for exchanging heat between them and means for controlling the heat exchange; the thermochemical processes in the dipoles may be identical or different; the device comprises a heat source at a variable temperature Tc, the maximum temperature being 70° C., and a heat sink at a temperature To of 15° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to refrigeration using a thermochemical system based on the coupling of two reversible physico-chemical phenomena between a gas and a solid or liquid sorbent, one at low temperature (the LT phenomenon) and the other at a higher temperature (the HT phenomenon). The LT phenomenon is a liquid/gas phase change of the fluid G or an absorption of the fluid G by a liquid sorbent. The HT phenomenon is a reversible sorption of the fluid G by a liquid or solid sorbent. The endothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place in a reactor thermally isolated from the ambient environment. The exothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place in a condenser in communication with the reactor in which the HT phenomenon takes place, the condensed fluid G then being transferred to the reactor in which the endothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place.

Abstract: The invention relates to refrigeration at TU by a reversible sorption system. The installation comprises a reactor (1) in which a reversible sorption between a gas G and a sorbent S takes place, a device (2) in which a reversible phenomenon involving the gas G takes place, means for bringing (2) into communication with (1), and means for isolating them, the equilibrium curve for the reversible phenomenon in (2) lying within a lower temperature range than that of the equilibrium curve for the reversible sorption in (1) in the Clausius-Clapeyron plot. The device (2) contains, apart from the gas G, a liquid/solid phase change material M having a solidification temperature TS below the frigeration working temperature TU. Use for freezing various products or for producing chilled water or ice.

Abstract: The invention relates to refrigeration at TU by a reversible sorption system. The method is implemented in an installation comprising an endothermic component (EC) and an exothermic component consisting of the reactors (1) and (2). The reactors (1) and (2) are in thermal contact, each of them constituting an active thermal mass for the other, and they are provided with heating means (6) and heat extraction means (5). (1), (2) and (EC) are provided with means for bringing them into selective communication, and reversible phenomena involving a gas G take place therein, the equilibrium curve for the phenomenon in (1) lying within a higher temperature range than that of the equilibrium curve for the phenomenon in (2), which is itself higher than that of the curve for the phenomenon in (EC) in the Clausius-Clapeyron plot.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermochemical device and to a method for producing refrigeration at very low temperature. The device produces refrigeration at a temperature Tf<?20° C., from an available heat source at a temperature Th of 60-80° C. and a heat sink at the ambient temperature To of 10° C.-25° C. It comprises two coupled dipoles, operating in phase. One of the dipoles may be regenerated from a heat source at the temperature Th and a heat sink at To, and produce refrigeration at the temperature Tf with a heat sink at a temperature below the ambient temperature To. The other dipole may be regenerated from a heat source at the temperature Th and a heat sink at the temperature To.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermochemical device and to a method for producing refrigeration at very low temperature. The device produces refrigeration at a temperature Tf<?20° C., from an available heat source at a temperature Th of 60-80° C. and a heat sink at the ambient temperature To of 10° C.-25° C. It comprises two coupled dipoles, operating in phase opposition. The thermochemical phenomena in one of the dipoles are such that this dipole may produce refrigeration at Tf with a heat sink at the ambient temperature To. The thermochemical phenomena in the other dipole are such that this dipole may be regenerated from the heat source Th and a heat sink-at the temperature To.

Abstract: The invention relates to refrigeration using a thermochemical system based on the coupling of two reversible physico-chemical phenomena between a gas and a solid or liquid sorbent, one at low temperature (the LT phenomenon) and the other at a higher temperature (the HT phenomenon). The LT phenomenon is a liquid/gas phase change of the fluid G or an absorption of the fluid G by a liquid sorbent. The HT phenomenon is a reversible sorption of the fluid G by a liquid or solid sorbent. The endothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place in a reactor thermally isolated from the ambient environment. The exothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place in a condenser in communication with the reactor in which the HT phenomenon takes place, the condensed fluid G then being transferred to the reactor in which the endothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place.

Abstract: The invention relates to refrigeration at TU by a reversible sorption system. The installation comprises a reactor (1) in which a reversible sorption between a gas G and a sorbent S takes place, a device (2) in which a reversible phenomenon involving the gas G takes place, means for bringing (2) into communication with (1), and means for isolating them, the equilibrium curve for the reversible phenomenon in (2) lying within a lower temperature range than that of the equilibrium curve for the reversible sorption in (1) in the Clausius-Clapeyron plot. The device (2) contains, apart from the gas G, a liquid/solid phase change material M having a solidification temperature TS below the frigeration working temperature TU. Use for freezing various products or for producing chilled water or ice.

Abstract: A method for obtaining activated carbons from a partly mesophased and partly mesogenic pitch containing less than about 40% of the a resins, more than about 40% of type ? resins and between about 5 and 30% of type ? resins by activating the pitch preceded by its optional carbonization.

Abstract: A method and installation is described for producing cold and/or heat, in a place where the latter are to be used, from one or more heat energy sources. The method is carried out in an installation comprising two or three assemblies of two reactors in which reversible phenomena involving a gas take place, said phenomena being exothermic in the sense of synthesis and endothermic in the sense of decomposition. The energy for the operation of the installation is supplied by a low temperature reactor of one or two assemblies. The installation is suitable for the remote production of cold or heat by means of the transport of gas at ambient temperature.

Abstract: The method is implemented in an installation comprising an endothermic component (EC) and an exothermic component consisting of the reactors (1) and (2). The reactors (1) and (2) are in thermal contact, each of them constituting an active thermal mass for the other, and they are provided with heating means (6) and heat extraction means (5). (1), (2) and (EC) are provided with means for bringing them into selective communication, and reversible phenomena involving a gas G take place therein, the equilibrium curve for the phenomenon in (1) lying within a higher temperature range than that of the equilibrium curve for the phenomenon in (2), which is itself higher than that of the curve for the phenomenon in (EC) in the Clausius-Clapeyron plot.

Abstract: A method and installation is described for producing cold and/or heat, in a place where the latter are to be used, from one or more heat energy sources. The method is carried out in an installation comprising two or three assemblies of two reactors in which reversible phenomena involving a gas take place, said phenomena being exothermic in the sense of synthesis and endothermic in the sense of decomposition. The energy for the operation of the installation is supplied by a low temperature reactor of one or two assemblies. The installation is suitable for the remote production of cold or heat by means of the transport of gas at ambient temperature.

Abstract: The invention concerns a composite material comprising activated carbon and expanded graphite. The material is a block wherein the activated carbon is homogeneously and uniformly distributed in the form of microporous particles. The texture of said particles is characterised by a microporous volume W0 ranging between 0.1 cm3g−1 and 1.5 cm3g−1 and a mean pore dimension L0 ranging between 2 Å and 30 Å, the activated carbon particles have substantially the same texture wherever they are located in the composite material, the thermal conductivity levels of the material range between 1 and 100 Wm−1K−1. Said material is obtained by heat treatment of a mixture of expanded graphite and an activated carbon precursor in the presence of an activating agent at a temperature and for a time interval sufficient to obtain a wear rate of the activated carbon precursor ranging between 5 and 70% by mass.

Abstract: The invention concerns a composite material comprising activated carbon and expanded graphite. The material is a block wherein the activated carbon is homogeneously and uniformly distributed in the form of microporous particles. The texture of said particles is characterised by a microporous volume W0 ranging between 0.1 cm3g−1and 1.5 cm3g−1 and a mean pore dimension L0 ranging between 2 Å and 30 Å, the activated carbon particles have substantially the same texture wherever they are located in the composite material, the thermal conductivity levels of the material range between 1 and 100 Wm−1K−1. Said material is obtained by heat treatment of a mixture of expanded graphite and an activated carbon precursor in the presence of an activating temperature and for a time interval sufficient to obtain a wear rate of the activated carbon precursor ranging between 5 and 70 % by mass.

Abstract: Device for producing by chemical reaction cold and/or heat, comprising two reactors containing each an associated salt susceptible of reacting chemically with a gas and dispersed into a porous support, a housing intended to receive the gas from the reactors and a housing intended to deliver the gas to the reactors. Accordingly to the invention, the reactors are arranged in direct contact and in such a way that the heat transfer between each other takes place only by conduction. A process for implementing the chemical reactions between at least one salt and one gas within such a device to product cold and/or heat is also disclosed.

Abstract: Method of managing a solid/gas adsorption or thermochemical reaction, the site of which is a device comprising a reactor, which contains a solid capable of reacting with a gas, an evaporator/condenser assembly for the gas and means intended to reheat the solid, the method comprising the steps which consist in:bringing the evaporator/condenser assembly, when the latter is filled with liquid, into communication with the reactor so as to cool the evaporator,switching on the means intended to reheat the solid, so as to deliver the gas to the evaporator/condenser assembly.According to the invention, the step of switching on the means intended to reheat the solid starts before the previous step has finished.

Abstract: The invention relates especially to a refrigerating device comprising a pressure-resistant container (1) furnished with an adsorbent material (2), which device furthermore comprises an adjustably set valve (7) whose passage communicates, on the one hand, with the inside of the container and, on the other hand, with the outside, and means (5, 6) for bringing said container temporarily into communication with a pressurized source (10, 11) of gas which can be adsorbed by said adsorbent material.Use in refrigerated clothing or portable refrigerators.

Abstract: Process for producing an active composite consisting of a support and an active agent is disclosed. The process comprises mixing expanded graphite and an exfoliated lamellar compound, compressing the mixture to form a support which has a graphite density between 0.02 and 0.5 kg/dm.sup.3, and impregnating the support with the active agent. Such active composites are employed as reactants in thermochemical systems.

Abstract: Reactant for thermochemical systems, including a support which is, for example, recompressed expanded graphite or vermiculite, and an active agent, for example a salt. According to the invention, the support is in the form of granules of graphite having a density of between 0.20 and 0.5 g/cm.sup.3 and whose diameter lies between 0.2 cm and 2.5 cm.