Composites of activated carbon for refrigeration adsorption machines

To improve the performance of adsorption machines using the activated carbon-methanol pair, a new procedure for shaping adsorbent materials as bricks was developed. In this paper, research activity on the preparation of composite carbon samples is described together with the results on methanol adsorption capacity and on thermal conductivity measurements. Carbon bricks of a pre-defined form were prepared using PTFE as a binder and three types of activated carbon as an adsorbent. The samples present good mechanical properties, a methanol adsorption capacity higher than 40% and an effective thermal conductivity ranging between 0.13 and 0.20 W/m K. © 1995.