Abstract: An adsorption heat pump includes a working fluid, an adsorption-desorption unit, and an evaporation-condensation unit connected with the adsorption-desorption unit. The adsorption-desorption unit adsorbs and desorbs vapor resulting from the working fluid, and includes an adsorbent being a porous substance. The porous substance has pores, and exhibits a pore diameter distribution curve having a maximum peak falling in a pore diameter range of from 1 to 10 nm. The pores in the diameter range of .+-.40% of pore diameter at the maximum peak have pore volume not less than 60% of a whole volume of the porous substance. The evaporation-condensation unit evaporates and condenses the working fluid. The adsorption heat pump can be operated by a low-temperature heat source, and can exhibit a large pumping temperature difference regardless of its small size.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a silica porous material with high solid acidity, catalytic activity and adsorption ability as well as excellent crystallinity and heat resistance has the steps of adding a compound of metallic element such as Al to a waterglass, aging the resultant mixture, calcining the aged mixture to form a layered crystal, incorporating an organic substance between layers of the layered crystal, calcining the resultant layered crystal for crosslinking the layered crystal. By this process, a plurality of layers formed of SiO.sub.4 tetrahedral and metallic oxide constitute a silica porous material, and the gap between adjacent layers of the layered crystal is reduced at a crosslinking site, while the gap of the other portion is expanded to form a micro pore.

Abstract: A process for producing a heat-resistant and high-purity porous silicon oxide material having excellent crystallinity and uniformity in pore size. The process includes: a first step of dispersing a substance containing silicon in an aqueous solution of a surfactant and adjusting the pH of the dispersion to a value of 10 or higher; a second step of adjusting the pH thereof to a value lower than 10 and forming a composite of a silicon oxide and a surfactant; and a third step of removing the surfactant from the composite. A water-soluble component is preferably removed from the dispersion between the first and second steps.