Insulating flexible composite element and purge system

Abstract

An improved heat and cold insulating flexible composite element comprises at least one radiation chamber with walls of flexible material having reflecting surfaces. Opposite walls of said chamber are resiliently spaced from each other by suitable spacing elements. Preferably the chambers are enclosed by an envelope which may also be formed of flexible reflecting sheets.

I claim: 
     
       1. An insulating flexible composite element comprising at least two spaced walls formed of flexible material having reflecting inner surfaces, said walls being spaced from each other in a shape retaining manner by at least one flexible spacing element formed of a perforated, soft, elastic, heat-insulating material, the perforations in said spacing element each forming a radiation chamber with the opposed walls of said flexible material, said radiation chambers with its reflecting walls and spacing element being enclosed by sheets of flexible material forming an envelope around said flexible walls, said envelope forming a unitary part of the insulating flexible composite element, and means including valves for introducing dry gas into and discharging moist gas from said chambers of said envelope. 
     
     
       2. The composite element of claim 1 wherein said means comprises a first tubular means communicating with the interior of said envelope and perforated in such region for the admission of dry air to the envelope, and second tubular means spaced from said first tubular means and communicating with the interior of said envelope and perforated in such region for discharging moist air from said envelope. 
     
     
       3. The composite element of claim 1 further including air-drying means operatively connected to said first tubular means, and pump means for supplying air through said air-drying means to said first tubular means and thus said envelope. 
     
     
       4. The composite element of claim 3 further including dust filtering means interposed between said pump means and said air-drying means. 
     
     
       5. The composite element of claim 3 further including pump means interconnecting said first and second tubular means for providing air circulation for air drying in said composite element.