| 主权项 |
1. A flexible insulated duct comprising:
a duct segment having a duct wall, an axial length, and a peripheral length that forms a channel for fluid to flow therethrough; an inflatable jacket surrounding at least a portion of the axial and peripheral lengths of the duct wall, the inflatable jacket comprising at least one flexible membrane, opposite ends of the at least one flexible membrane sealed to the duct segment; for at least the portion of the axial and peripheral lengths of the duct wall surrounded by the inflatable jacket, the inflatable jacket includes a space formed by the opposite ends of the at least one flexible membrane being sealed to the duct segment, the duct wall having one of the following to provide communication between the space and the channel; i) a single opening in the duct wall; or ii) a pair of openings, the pair of openings diametrically opposed to each other in the duct wall; or iii) a plurality of openings, each of the plurality of openings radially spaced apart in the duct wall and on a plane perpendicular to an axis of the duct; wherein the at least one flexible membrane expands to create an enlarged space as a result of pressurization by the fluid from the channel entering the space through the single opening, or the pair of openings, or the plurality of openings in the duct wall, the enlarged space consisting of the fluid, and by opposite ends of the at least one flexible membrane being sealed to the duct segment and one of the single opening, the pair of openings, and the plurality of openings being in the duct wall, the enlarged space has a static fluid flow condition at steady-state fluid flow conditions in the channel. |
