1. An inflatable airbag assembly comprising:
first and second walls sealably connected to define an inflatable bladder having an interior volume that is operable between deflated and inflated states;
at least one pleat defined within at least one of the first and second walls, the at least one pleat defining an expanded portion of the interior volume; and
first and second slits separately defined within the first wall that define a self-actuating flow restrictor in communication with the expanded portion of the interior volume, wherein the self-actuating flow restrictor defines an open position with the inflatable bladder in the deflated state, and wherein the self-actuating flow restrictor moves to a closed position as the inflatable bladder operates to the inflated state, wherein the first and second slits are separated by portions of the first wall.
2. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one pleat includes first and second pleats.
3. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 2, wherein the first and second slits are defined in the first pleat.
4. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second slits are distal from one another.
5. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second slits are substantially parallel.
6. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein when the self-actuating flow restrictor is in the open position, the self-actuating flow restrictor includes a first surface curvature and an area of the pleat adjacent to the self-actuating flow restrictor includes a second surface curvature, the first surface curvature being different than the second surface curvature, wherein the first and second surface curvatures define at least one opening in the pleat, and wherein when the self-actuating flow restrictor is in the closed position, the self-actuating flow restrictor and the area of the pleat adjacent to the self-actuating flow restrictor each include a third surface curvature such that the at least one opening in the pleat is substantially closed.
7. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the inflatable bladder includes a plurality of self-actuating flow restrictors, wherein each of the plurality of self-actuating flow restrictors includes first and second slits.
8. An inflatable airbag assembly comprising:
an inflatable bladder operable between deflated and inflated states and having an interior volume; and
at least one vent in communication with the interior volume and defined by first and second slits discontinuously and separately defined in the bladder, wherein the vent defines an open position with the bladder in the deflated state, and wherein the vent moves to a closed position as the bladder operates to the inflated state.
9. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 8, further comprising:
at least one pleat defined within the inflatable bladder, wherein the first and second slits are defined within the at least one pleat.
10. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 8, wherein the first and second slits are distal from one another.
11. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 10, wherein the first slit is parallel with the second slit.
12. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 9, wherein when the vent is in the open position, the vent includes a first surface curvature and an area of the at least one pleat adjacent to the vent includes a second surface curvature, the first surface curvature being different than the second surface curvature, wherein a difference between the first and second surface curvatures defines at least one opening in the pleat, and wherein when the vent is in the closed position, the vent and the area of the at least one pleat adjacent to the vent each include a third surface curvature such that the at least one opening in the at least one pleat is substantially closed.
13. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 8, wherein the vent is integral with the inflatable bladder.
14. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 8, wherein the inflatable bladder includes a plurality of vents.
15. An inflatable airbag assembly comprising:
first and second walls sealably connected to define a bladder; and
first and second slits defined within the first wall, wherein an operable portion of the first wall between the first and second slits operates between an open position defined when the bladder is deflated, to a closed position defined when the bladder is at least partially inflated, the operable portion having opposing sides that directly engage the first wall.
16. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 15, further comprising:
at least one pleat defining a folded surface within one of the first and second walls when the bladder is deflated, wherein the at least one pleat moves to form a substantially unfolded surface as the bladder is inflated, wherein the movement of the at least one pleat to form the unfolded surfaces exerts a tensioning force on each of the opposing sides of the operable portion.
17. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 15, wherein the operable portion of the first wall between the first and second slits defines a self-actuating flow restrictor in communication with an interior volume of the bladder when the operable portion is in the open position.
18. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 15, wherein when the operable portion is in the open position, the operable portion includes a first surface curvature and an area of the first wall adjacent to the operable portion includes a second surface curvature, the first surface curvature being different than the second surface curvature, wherein a difference between the first and second surface curvatures defines at least one opening in the first wall, and wherein when the operable portion is in the closed position, the operable portion and the area of the first wall adjacent to the operable portion each include a third surface curvature such that the first wall is substantially free of the at least one opening.
19. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 15, wherein the first and second slits are distal from one another.
20. The inflatable airbag assembly of claim 19, wherein the first slit is substantially parallel with the second slit.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A combined cycle power plant comprising:
a gas turbomachine system including a compressor and a gas turbine, the gas turbine extracting work from gases at a first temperature;
a steam turbomachine system including at least one steam turbine, the at least one steam turbine extracting work from gases at a second temperature; and
a heat recovery steam generator having a main housing fluidly connected to the gas turbine, the heat recovery steam generator including a plurality of heat pipes at least a portion of which extend within the main housing in fluid communication with the gases at the first temperature, the plurality of heat pipes also being in fluid communication with the gases at the second temperature, wherein the plurality of heat pipes absorb heat from the gases at the first temperature and pass the heat into the gases at the second temperature to form gases at a third temperature.
2. The combined cycle power plant according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of heat pipes includes a first end portion extending into the main housing of the heat recovery steam generator and a second end portion extending out from the main housing of the heat recovery steam generator.
3. The combined cycle power plant according to claim 2, further comprising: at least one reheat member including a main body defining an interior chamber, the second end portion of each of the plurality of heat pipes extending into the interior chamber, the gases at the third temperature being formed in the at least one reheat member.
4. The combined cycle power plant according to claim 3, wherein the at least one reheat member includes an inlet member connected at a first pressure stage of the at least one steam turbine and an outlet member connected to a second pressure stage of the at least one steam turbine, the gases at the third temperature being passed to the second pressure stage of the at least one steam turbine.
5. The combined cycle power plant according to claim 4, wherein the at least one steam turbine is a high pressure turbine, the second pressure stage being at a pressure lower than the first pressure stage.
6. The combined cycle power plant according to claim 1, wherein the gases at the first temperature are exhaust gases from the gas turbine and the gases at the second temperate is steam from the at least one steam turbine, the first temperature being higher than the second temperature.
7. A method of treating gases in combined cycle power plant, the method comprising:
passing gases at a first temperature from a gas turbine into a heat recovery steam generator;
flowing the gases at the first temperature over a first end portion of a plurality of heat pipes arranged within the heat recovery steam generator;
absorbing heat from the gases at the first temperature into the plurality of heat pipes;
flowing the heat from the first end portion of the plurality of heat pipes toward a second end portion of the plurality of heat pipes;
passing gases at a second temperature over the second end portion of the plurality of heat pipes; and
transferring the heat from the second end portion of the plurality of heat pipes into the gas at the second temperature to form a gas at a third temperature.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein passing gases at the first temperature comprises passing exhaust gases from the gas turbine into the heat recovery steam generator.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
extracting the gases at the second temperature from a first stage of a steam turbine.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: passing the gases at the third temperature to second stage of the steam turbine.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein forming the gases at the third temperature comprises forming re-heated steam.
12. The method of claim 7, wherein flowing the heat from the first end portion of the plurality of heat pipes toward the second end portion of the plurality of heat pipes comprises passing the heat along the plurality of heat pipes from the heat recovery steam generator into a reheat member, the reheat member being distinct from the heat recovery steam generator.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein, passing gases at the second temperature over the second end portion of the plurality of heat pipes comprises flowing the gases at the second temperature through the reheat member.
14. A heat recovery steam generator comprising:
a main housing; and
a plurality of heat pipes, at least a portion of which extend within the main housing, wherein the plurality of heat pipes absorb heat from gases at a first temperature and pass the heat into gases at a second temperature to form gases at a third temperature.
15. The heat recovery steam generator according to claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of heat pipes includes a first end portion extending into the main housing and a second end portion extending out from the main housing.
16. The heat recovery steam generator according to claim 15, further comprising: at least one reheat member including a main body defining an interior chamber, the second end portion of each of the plurality of heat pipes extending into the interior chamber, the gases at the third temperature being formed in the at least one reheat member.
17. The heat recovery steam generator according to claim 16, wherein the at least one reheat chamber includes an inlet member and an outlet member, the outlet member being adapted to be connected to a steam turbine.
18. The heat recovery steam generator according to claim 16, wherein the at least one reheat member includes a first reheat member and a second reheat members.
19. The heat recovery steam generator according to claim 18, wherein the first reheat member is fluidly connected in series to the second reheat member.
20. The heat recovery steam generator according to claim 14, wherein the gases at the first temperature are exhaust gases from a gas turbine and the gases at the second temperature is steam from a steam turbine, the first temperature being higher than the second temperature.