Patent ID: 7220050

Claim:
Method for determining an exchange area A between a reagent and a wall of a housing containing this reagent, in order to determine in particular a power P r of a thermal reaction inside the housing and a heat exchange coefficient U between the reagent and the wall of the housing, comprising: measuring a first heat flux F 1 per surface unit taken in a first zone of the wall in secure contact with the reagent, measuring a second heat flux F 2 per surface unit taken in a second zone of the wall in secure absence of contact with the reagent, measuring a third heat flux F 3 per surface unit taken in a third zone of the wall comprising, in a continuously overlapping manner, both a zone of the wall in secure contact with the reagent next to a zone of the wall in secure absence of contact with the reagent, calculating, based on proportions of the measurements of the first, second, and third heat flux which have been carried out, the actual level h of the reagent inside the housing, so that the actual exchange area A between the reagent and the wall of the housing containing this reagent can be determined continuously and in real time, based on the calculated actual level h of the reagent, and with respect to any given geometry of the housing.