Abstract: One of these distilling apparatus (10) comprises two columns, an evaporation column (14) and a condensation column (16), separated by a partition (18) equipped with rows of slits dividing them into 4 distillation stages. The evaporation column (14) comprises plates with hydrophilic or wettable faces, and the condensation column comprises rectangular hollow-plate (21) heat exchangers (221-6). Cold water ascends in these exchangers and saturated humid hot air descends in the condensation column (16). A perforated sheet (251-4) increases the uniformity of the partial airflows descending between the plates. The water is heated in a boiler (34); the hot water is scattered at the top of the evaporation column and the air cooled in the condensation column is sucked downwards by a fan (34). The air flows in a closed circuit. Performance is maximised, after the top temperature TE2 (45 to 90° C.

Abstract: One of these heat exchangers (76) consists of a stack of thin-metal walled hollow platelets (7S1-J5), 12 cm long and 5 wide. Each of these walls has a central region stiffened by alternating bosses with steep slopes, situated between two connection regions. Each wall is made by pressing then cutting an appropriate sheet of metal (aluminium 0.3 mm thick). The edges of the two fin walls form steps, symmetrically welded, the height of each step determining the internal half-thickness of a fin. Each platelet connection region ends in a narrow mouth with a cross section that has the same surface area as the embossed central region, and is welded to the edges of a slot made in an external manifold (80-82). The thickness of the internal channel of a platelet is about 0.4 mm when the fluid concerned is a liquid (water) and that of the spaces between the platelets is 7 mm when the other fluid is a gas (air).

Abstract: The figure displays the diagram of a laminar flow water cooler (110) for a microprocessor comprising an integral radiator (112) provided with thin-walled and hollow fins which are produced by controlled compression of double convex bellows of a polymer or glass hot-blown blank. In order to form a closed circuit filled with water at the atmospheric pressure, the manifolds (113, 114, 115) of the radiator (112) are connected to the manifolds of an original component (114) formed by a mini heater (116) provided with a copper heating plate with internal grooved face and a mini pump (118) provided with a brushless electric motor devoid of a centrifugal turbine, wherein said mini heater and mini pump are disposed in a rigid small-sized moulded polymer hose. The total thermal resistance of said cooler can be equal to 0.15°/W that is of interest, in particular for high performance microprocessors for dissipating more than 200 W through the very hot central area of 1.5 cm2 of the heat dissipating surface thereof.

Abstract: The inventive device is embodied in the form of a chamber-oven for diffusing vapour and saturated hot air which circulate in a closed circuit by natural convection. Said device is embodied in the form of a domestic-use solar energy collecting device provided with a greenhouse whose surface is equal to 1 m2 and produces from 50 to 100 litres/day of distilled water. The device comprises a distillation unit arranged between two furnaces (59?, 79?) in a temperature-controlled container (48?). Said distillation unit comprises 100 flat thin hollow plates having a surface of 20 dm2 by face and an active volume of 200 dm3. The fine and tensioned walls (54) of said plates are provided with a hydrophilic coating (60?) and internal (56?) and inter-plate (58?) spaces. The lower chimney (59?) comprises a greenhouse (118?, 119?) whose bottom is embodied in the form of an impermeable black layer provided with a thin hydrophilic carpet on the rear part thereof. Saturated hot air at a temperature of 80° C.

Abstract: The invention concerns an elementary heat exchanger comprising a single elongated active monobloc component (10), enclosed in a casing provided with coolant inlet and outlet. The casing consists of two half-shells (11a-b), welded together (98a-b, 114a-b), fixed to the active component. The active component (10) comprises a fishbone cross-section (10a-b), whereof the bones (12a-b) are hollow, oblique, embossed and globally symmetrical. The active component is made from a blank made of resistant material (for example a polymer), in the form of biconvex stiff-walled bellows (33-35-37-39), comparable to those of an accordion whereof the peaks have been struck off (36), narrow bases (38) and a spacing (16) between said bases.

Abstract: The invention concerns appliances, one of which uses solar energy as sole source of power. It comprises an accumulation solar water heater (222) and quasi-reversible liquid/vapour heat exchanging alveolar elements, provided with hydrophilic coatings. Elements of types E and C, respectively assigned to water evaporation (224a, b, c) and to vapour condensation (226a-b) are interposed, with narrow free spaces, in a heat-insulated treatment chamber (223), arranged above the boiler (222). Hot water coming from the heater (222) flows in closed circuit, by thermosiphon, from the top downwards of elements E and from the bottom upwards of elements C. A slightly cooling member (242) is interposed between the bottom collectors (240-244) of elements E and C. Hot water spills over slowly from the top of the hydrophilic coatings of elements E and the vapour produced is condensed opposite, on the walls of elements C.

Abstract: A solar still for producing fresh water including a device, adapted to absorb solar radiation and to contain water to be distilled; a condensation surface on which vapor, produced by heating up of water of the device can condense; a fresh water collector that trickles down the condensation surface in which said device includes an impermeable membrane that is flexible, kept stretched, of a dark color, exposed to the sun, and arranged in a shade, a hydrophilic fleece forming a covering for said membrane, supplied with water by capillary action and gravity; a device for recovering formed brine arranged at the bottom of said fleece; wherein said impermeable membrane and its hydrophilic fleece constitute the wall of an evaporation chamber that is elongated, a transparent sheltering element installed underneath; wherein said transparent sheltering element is a closed space and an inner face of a wall thereof constitutes said condensation surface; and a blower which is associated with an apparatus for producing a fl

Abstract: A flying toy comprising an ordinary rubber balloon and a nozzle, the nozzle being provided with a wide inlet edge and with a narrow outlet throat, and being secured to the inflation appendage of the balloon. The nozzle is provided with studs suitable for receiving drinking straws that have themselves received fins, thereby constituting a trajectory stabilizer. The flying toy thus constitutes a rocket-balloon. It constitutes an educational toy and an advertising medium particularly suitable for fast-food restaurant chains.

Abstract: Globe map (10) in which a light source (76) and a screen (46) cooperate to create on the wall of a shell (12) two hemispherical zones respectively lit and dark. Clockworks designed to rotate these zones around the center of the globe (10), according to the rhythm of the days and years, include a body (32), a polar day shaft (14) rigidly connected to the shell (12) and a year shaft (38) rigidly connected to the screen (46). The axes of the shafts (14 and 38) intersect at the center of the shell (12) along an angle equal to the angle of inclination of the plane of the equator on the ecliptic.Under nominal working conditions, the screen (46) rotates around the shaft (14) at the rate of one revolution per sidereal day and around the year shaft (38) at the rate of one revolution per tropical year.