Abstract: A process for manufacturing carbonaceous parts including the steps of shaping a mixture of carbonaceous powder and bonding agent to form raw parts, cooling the raw parts to ambient temperature at a known rate and firing the cooled parts in a furnace from ambient temperature to a final firing temperature to release volatile particles to produce fired parts devoid of volatile products. This process is improved by placing the raw parts in an electric furnace in the absence of heating filler, heating the raw parts in the furnace to an intermediate temperature of about 200.degree. C. at a fixed initial heating rate such that the loss of volatile products is less than 10% by weight of the total amount of volatile products contained in the raw parts and being a function of the cooling rate such that the internal strain from the shaping and cooling step is freed.

Abstract: Diffuser elements are provided to facilitate mass transfer in endothermic or exothermic solid/gas reactions between a reactive gas and a reactive composite material and are implanted in the reactive composite material to facilitate the diffusion of the reactive gas. These diffuser elements are profiles formed of porous carbonaceous material. The elements have a small loss of charge in a circulation direction of the reactive gas, and in a diffusion direction perpendicular to the circulation direction, these elements have a measured resistance to crushing of at least 1 MPa and permeability of at least 10.sup.-5 m.sup.3 /M.sup.2.s.Pa.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing a mineral membrane on a mineral support, involving the production of a dispersion of a filler and a resin, depositing this dispersion onto a support so as to form a layer, followed by the thermal treatment of the support covered with the layer, to obtain an asymmetric thin membrane. A fluid dispersion is prepared of a filler, a water-soluble solvent and a resin insoluble in water but soluble in the organic solvent, and, after coking, to a coke content higher than 20% by weight, it is deposited onto the mineral support, all or some of the solvent is displaced in order to precipitate the resin, and the resin and, if appropriate, the support are coked.

Abstract: Process for producing carbon composite components having an edge and a central part with at least one layer of carbon/carbon composite and at least one layer of recompressed expanded graphite to obtain a sealing carbon composite component with a central part having a high deformation level and/or with an edge providing self-bonding of the layers of the component. There is prepared a stack of at least one layer of preimpregnate based on carbon fiber and of at least one layer of expanded graphite of a specific gravity of between 0.03 and 0.06. The stack is compressed under a pressure of between 2.5 and 15 MPa and at a temperature of between 50.degree. and 200.degree. C., in such a way that the thickness of the edge is at least equal to that of the central part and the specific gravity of the expanded graphite is between 0.3 and 0.6 for the edge and between 1 and 1.5 for the central part. The compressed component is treated thermally at a temperature of between 400.degree. and 3000.degree. C.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for tangential filtration with filter cleaning in which a fluid to be filtered forms a liquid loop and circulates tangentially to one surface of a membrane at a pressure Ph in which a filtrate flows from the other surface of the membrane through a pipe, provided with a flow meter and a first valve, to a tank at atmospheric pressure Pa, filtration taking place by virtue of a positive transmembranal pressure Ph - Pa. In the filtration phase, the hydrodynamic pressure Ph is adjusted by means of a second regulable valve. During the filter cleaning phase the first valve is closed and at the same time the second valve is slightly opened, the second valve is suddenly opened, the first valve is opened and the second valve is progressively closed. The method and apparatus in particularly suited to the filtration of corrosive liquids.

Abstract: The invention relates to a support intended to receive a mineral membrane for separation procedures, and processes for the production thereof. The support is formed by a carbon-carbon composite material of small thickness, which is mechanically strong and which is of a porous texture suited to the mineral membrane. It is produced by adjusting the porous texture of a carbon-carbon material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing mineral and in particular, carbon-containing membranes on a porous mineral support. According to the process, at least one layer of a stable emulsion of mineral particles in a solution containing a thermosetting resin is deposited on a permeable, porous, mineral support. The resin undergoes a polycondensation treatment followed by coking, and the coke formed insures the mechanical connection of the mineral particles both to one another and to the support. The membranes produced according to the invention can be used in separating processes, particularly in microfiltration and ultrafiltration.

Abstract: A liquid distribution system for chemical engineering apparatuses comprises a liquid dividing means and an apertured distribution plate disposed below the liquid dividing means. The peripheries of the apertures in the plate are raised with respect to the surface of the plate.The liquid dividing means may comprise elements such that the liquid flows along an inclined wall to the periphery of the apertured plate and the peripheries of the holes of the plate are raised with respect to its surface, e.g. by using tubes or bar members above the surface or grooves in the surface. The raised portions are provided with grooves or apertures.This system is particularly suitable for absorbers of falling film, block or tube type, and for filled columns.

Abstract: Disclosed are graphite articles impregnated with resin and having on at least a part of their surface a reinforcement of resin-impregnated fibers wherein the resin serves to integrally unite the graphite with the reinforcement. The articles are made by placing the reinforcement on at least a part of the graphite article, impregnating the resulting assembly with a heat-hardenable or thermoplastic resin and allowing the resin to harden.