Containment systems for insulation, and insulation elements employing such systems

Abstract

Acoustic and thermal insulation for an enclosed space, particularly the passenger cabin of an aircraft, comprises insulating elements lining the interior wall. Each element is enclosed in a bag of thin flexible moisture impervious material and each bag is provided with an aperture at a lowermost point at which moisture condensed from humid air within the air will pool under gravity. A duct connects each element interior to the exterior of the enclosed space, so that air pressure in the bag can be equalised with that in the space without using air from the enclosed space. Any condensate in the bag can flow to the exterior, and only air from the exterior can enter the bag interior. The elements are formed in appropriate shapes, such as rectangular to fit in the cells formed between the frames and stringers of an aircraft fuselage, or so as to be wrapped around the frames. All of the elements in a column can be connected in series, so that each element in the column comprises part of the flow duct for the element above it. When the enclosed space is subject to a fast reduction in its internal air pressure the resultant air flow out of the bags carries with it any condensed liquid.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.