Method of manufacturing an active silica gel honeycomb adsorbing body usable in an atmosphere having 100% relative humidity

A method of manufacturing an active silica gel honeycomb adsorbing body capable of adsorbing humidity and odorous components in a process air having 100% relative humidity, comprising the steps of:

• a) laminating a corrugated paper and a flat liner paper, both being low density inorganic fiber papers having a weight of approximately 30-250 g/m.sup.2 and a thickness of approximately 0.1-0.3 mm, said corrugated paper having a wavelength of approximately 2.5-6.5 mm and a wave height of approximately 1.3-4.0 mm to form a single-faced corrugated sheet;
• b) rolling up said single-faced corrugated sheet into a cylindrical honeycomb structure laminated body;
• c) impregnating said cylindrical honeycomb structure laminated body with an aqueous water glass solution;
• d) drying the impregnated cylindrical honeycomb structure laminated body, the quantity of the water glass impregnated in said cylindrical honeycomb structure laminated body after drying being approximately 0.9-2.8 times the weight of said cylindrical honeycomb structure laminated body, and the water glass being solidified until the water glass becomes insoluble in an acid used in step e);
• e) soaking said cylindrical honeycomb structure laminated body in an acid having a hydrogen ion concentration of approximately 0.62-7.4 mol/liter to chemically synthesize and bind active silica gel in fiber gaps and on surfaces of the inorganic fiber papers of the cylindrical honeycomb structure laminated body by a chemical reaction of the water glass and the acid, the active silica gel having micropores and mesopores having a diameter less than approximately 200 .ANG. and having a specific surface area approximately 300-600 m.sup.2 /g;
• followed by
• f) washing the cylindrical honeycomb structure laminated body with a liquid which can easily dissolve a salt produced as a byproduct of the chemical reaction;
• then
• g) drying the cylindrical honeycomb structure laminated body to obtain an adsorbing body mainly comprising active silica gel, the thickness of the inorganic fiber paper bound with the active silica gel being in the range of 0.15-0.35 mm, and the quantity by weight of the active silica gel being approximately 0.5-3.0 times the weight of the inorganic fiber paper.