Abstract: A method and device refrigerate a fluid by adding a volatile liquid mist to a flow of a gas to saturate the gas with vapor of the volatile liquid, to cause a large amount of misty minute liquid drops of the volatile liquid to float in the gas and to form a cooling gas. The cooling gas is directed through a first flow passage of a heat exchanger having first and second flow passages. The fluid to be refrigerated is directed through the second flow passage of the heat exchanger, so that heat from the fluid is transferred to the cooling gas, while the cooling gas passes through the first flow passage of the heat exchanger to elevate the temperature of the cooling gas. A portion of the minute liquid drops floating in the cooling gas are allowed to vaporize due to the elevated temperature of the cooling gas. The temperature of the cooling gas is continuously lowered by the heat of vaporization of the vaporizing minute liquid drops.

Abstract: A resistor, such as a resistor wire, is contained in a sheet, preferably a low density sheet consisting mainly of inorganic fiber. Adsorbent or absorbent (hereinafter "sorbent" collectively) is fixed to the sheet to obtain sorbing characteristics, such that desorption and reactivation can be accomplished by applying an electric current to the resistor to heat the sheet. A sorbing laminate with many channels may be used by laminating the sorbing sheets. The sorbing sheet can therefore be heated directly from the inner side by the resistor contained in the sheet desorbing the sheets rapidly while the time for reactivating the sorbing sheet is reduced and the reactivation efficiency increased.

Abstract: The present invention makes it possible to fix as much gas adsorbent or catalyst particles as possible to a gas adsorbing element or to a catalyst carrier having a honeycomb structure and also to improve the form-maintaining property of a honeycomb laminate after heat-treatment or during wet conditions so that operation becomes easy when impregnating the honeycomb laminate with a dispersion of gas adsorbent or catalyst particles. A honeycomb laminate is formed with paper including mostly ceramic fiber or glass fiber and mountain leather or with paper including mostly carbon fiber and mountain leather. The paper is then heat-treated, is impregnated with a dispersion of gas adsorbent or catalyst particles, is impregnated with a dispersion of inorganic binder such as silica sol or alumina sol, and is dried.