| 摘要 |
A light weight vacuum maintained structure, especially useful when cylindrical, includes a plurality of hollow wall members made of a thin, normally flexible material and internally pressurized so as to be form-retaining, preferably of keystone-like shape, which are positioned with respect to each other so as to form an external wall of such structure, exposed to atmospheric pressure, with a vacuum in the interior of the structure, the difference in pressure holding the wall members together to seal off the interior of the structure and prevent loss of vacuum. In preferred embodiments of the invention the invented structure is employed: about piping to insulate it; in a dirigible, especially in a wind turbine-electric generator-containing dirigible, wherein the wall members may be pressurized with helium to increase buoyancy; and in a water distillation apparatus wherein a transporting section of such apparatus is of such structure, and a vacuum therein, which may be created by condensation of water vapor in a condenser, facilitates transportation of the water vapor through the transporting section and lifts water from a body of water to be evaporated to a height in an evaporating section at which the sun may shine on it and at which solar energy promotes vaporization.
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