Abstract
In this chapter, the authors present results of a study of the composite sorbents ‘silica gel – crystalline hydrate' synthesized by sol – gel method. The sorption capacity of the composites ‘silica gel – sodium sulphate' is stated to exceed noticeably the linear superposition of the sorption capacity of mechanical mixture of the silica gel and salt. The composites composition and structure were studied by IR-spectroscopy and wide-angle X-ray scattering. The changing of adsorption properties of crystalline salts at their distribution in silicon oxygen matrix is stated to result from dispersion up to nanoscale. The experimental setup for effectiveness tests of synthesized composite adsorbents is developed. The correlation of their composition, structure, water adsorption kinetic, and operating characteristic as heat storage material is revealed. The heat storage capacity is stated to be at least 0.36 kWh/kg (258 kWh/m3).