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: 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 process controls the cooling of a metal sheet so as to impart thereto a predetermined crystalline structure. The sheet to be cooled is passed through a case containing a mass of regularly renewed cooling fluid. The flow of the cooling fluid is controlled as a function of the inlet temperature of this fluid, in accordance with the thickness of the sheet to be cooled and the desired cooling rate.

Abstract: The process controls the cooling of a metal sheet so as to impart thereto a predetermined crystalline structure. The sheet to be cooled is passed through a case containing a mass of regularly renewed cooling fluid. The flow of the cooling fluid is controlled as a function of the inlet temperature of this fluid, in accordance with the thickness of the sheet to be cooled and the desired cooling rate.

Abstract: The arrangement is provided in order to limit or prevent leakages of cooling liquid which always occur under various circumstances at the ends of the machine. The arrangement is provided at the input and output ends of the machine for cooling metal sheets or the like, which is of the type comprising an upper frame and a lower frame. Each frame comprises two lateral walls interconnected by a case which defines an enclosure in which the cooling liquid circulates. The arrangement resides in the fact that there are provided, at each of said ends, on one hand, a sump for collecting the cooling liquid and carried by the lower frame and extending throughout the width of the machine and, on the other hand, a device carried by the upper frame and adapted to project toward the interior of the machine a jet of fluid which is directed in counter-current fashion against the cooling liquid which tends to issue from the machine.