Method and installation for the densification of substrates by means of chemical vapor infiltration

A method of densifying porous substrates by chemical vapor infiltration, the method comprising loading porous substrates for densification in a loading zone of an enclosure, the porous substrates being arranged along an entire longitudinal dimension therein, the substrates occupying different levels between a bottom support plate located at a first end of the loading zone and a second opposite end of the loading zone;

• introducing a reagent gas into the enclosure via an inlet situated at one end thereof;
• admitting the reagent gas into the loading zone through at least one opening formed at one of said longitudinal ends of the loading zone;
• and
• heating the reagent gas after it has entered into the loading zone and before it comes into contact with the substrates situated in the loading zone by causing the reagent gas to pass within a side wall of a duct opening at a first longitudinal end thereof through an inlet tightly and directly connected to said at least one opening, said duct extending continuously through the loading zone substantially over the entire longitudinal dimension thereof along which said substrates are located and being spaced apart from said substrates, and said duct being closed at a second longitudinal end thereof opposite to said first longitudinal end;
• the duct being raised to the temperature inside the enclosure;
• and
• distributing the heated reagent gas among said substrates arranged at different levels in the loading zone through a plurality of openings formed in the side wall of the duct, along the length thereof, the heated reagent gas being distributed along the loading zone by exiting from the duet only through the side openings thereof.