Abstract: Method and apparatus for accumulating and restituting cold, the apparatus comprising a storage vessel containing a heat-exchanging and cold-accumulating liquid mixed with a mass of rigid aggregates of crystals of frozen liquid, the crystals being obtained by freezing the liquid by atomization of a refrigerating fluid contacted directly by the liquid, means to create during the cold accumulation phase a piston composed of a homogeneous, porous and compact mass of rigid aggregates of crystals of the liquid, means to deposit the crystals evenly on top of the piston, and means to resorb the piston from the top.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating, by siphon effect, in a housing containing a cold-accumulating and freezable liquid, a current of liquid in a closed hydraulic circuit, the current of liquid comprising at least one ascending current which is located over means for injecting a refrigerating fluid and which contains bubbles of atomized refrigerating fluid, and at least one descending current free of refrigerating fluid in the gaseous phase.