Abstract: A reinforcing fabric configured for intumescent material expansion includes a woven fabric. The woven fabric has a plurality of composite yarns. Each composite yarn includes a fire resistant component and a crimping component. The crimping component is bonded to the fire resistant component, where the fire resistant component is in a crimped state and the crimping component is in a relaxed state when bonded. The woven fabric is woven with the plurality of the composite yarns with the fire resistant component maintained in the crimped state and the crimping component maintained in the relaxed state in each of the composite yarns. When the woven fabric is imbedded in an intumescent material, the woven fabric is configured to reinforce the intumescent material during heat expansion, and mechanical loads from the expanding intumescent material, in a controlled and predictable manner.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes a tube for use in creating a support for a roof line of a structure. The tube comprises an inner flexible bladder, a seamless woven cylinder formed from fibers woven to form a seamless tubular arch shape when the cylinder is inflated, the cylinder engaged with the flexible bladder, and an outer weather shield coating engaged with the cylinder, wherein, in operation a plurality of tubes are used to form the roof line of a structure to define a housing for containing an article, wherein the plurality of tubes maintains flexibility so that the plurality of tubes can be inflated, deflated, and re-deployed.

Abstract: A helical textile having a substantially uniform thickness from ID to OD having circumferential warp fibers; non-interlaced radially aligned weft fibers having fiber lengths that may vary with the textile diameter to maintain constant textile thickness, the warp fibers and weft fibers not interlaced together; and non-reinforcing binding yarns securing the warp fibers to the weft fibers, thereby forming a helical textile.

Abstract: A helical textile of uniform thickness having uniform radial weft fibers from a textile ID to a textile OD; and non-interlaced circumferential warp fiber bundles having equal width and height that increases from the textile ID to the textile OD, thereby forming a helical textile having a uniform thickness from textile ID to OD. Other embodiment includes non-interlaced circumferential warp fiber bundles having an equal cross section area, a height that increases from the textile ID to the textile OD, and a width that decreases from textile ID to textile OD. Yet another embodiment includes a helical textile of a uniform thickness having circumferential warp fibers; and more than one radial weft fiber bundles, each radial weft fiber bundle occupying a zone between two selected radial distances between the textile ID and OD, wherein the cross sectional areas of the radial weft fiber bundles increases from helical textile ID to OD.

Abstract: A helical textile having a substantially uniform thickness from ID to OD having circumferential warp fibers; non-interlaced radially aligned weft fibers having fiber lengths that may vary with the textile diameter to maintain constant textile thickness, the warp fibers and weft fibers not interlaced together; and non-reinforcing binding yarns securing the warp fibers to the weft fibers, thereby forming a helical textile.

Abstract: A helical textile of uniform thickness having uniform radial weft fibers from a textile ID to a textile OD; and non-interlaced circumferential warp fiber bundles having equal width and height that increases from the textile ID to the textile OD, thereby forming a helical textile having a uniform thickness from textile ID to OD. Other embodiment includes non-interlaced circumferential warp fiber bundles having an equal cross section area, a height that increases from the textile ID to the textile OD, and a width that decreases from textile ID to textile OD. Yet another embodiment includes a helical textile of a uniform thickness having circumferential warp fibers; and more than one radial weft fiber bundles, each radial weft fiber bundle occupying a zone between two selected radial distances between the textile ID and OD, wherein the cross sectional areas of the radial weft fiber bundles increases from helical textile ID to OD.

Abstract: A woven fabric gap filler with carbon fiber yarns providing a central gap filling group section of large diameter warp yarns assuming a triangular sectional shape with tab portions extending respectively from the respective apexes of the triangular filler section to be held between lay-up of opposing graphite epoxy fabric rib and flange sheets for integration therewith and to retain the apexes of the filler section against shrinkage when the assembly is heat treated. Under stress of the hard plastic structural unit, the forces will be passed through transverse fabric woof yarns as well as through longitudinal warp yarn strands so as to resist breakdown of hard plastic within the gap filling section of the structural unit when stressed.

Abstract: Heat exchangers (2) with particular use as solar receivers are mass-produced by weaving on a textile loom a yarn of high modulus fibers (18, 20) into a repeating series of substantially flat preforms (4), forming a set of interconnected passageways (26, 30, 32) connecting one side of each preforms (4) with an opposite side thereof. The separated preform (4) are each wrapped around a mandrel to give each the shape of a cylindrical sleeve (2). The sleeve (2) is impregnated in a low modulus matrix, dried, and sintered for rigidization. In a first sealing embodiment, the outer sleeve surface (24) is sealed or weatherproofed, and the surfaces of the internal passageways (26, 30, 32) are sealed, but the radiation absorbing inner sleeve surface (22) is not sealed. In a second sealing embodiment, the outer surface (24), the radiation absorbing inner surface (22), and the exchanger ends (14, 34) are sealed, but the surfaces of inner passageways (26, 30, 32) are not sealed.

Abstract: A composite structure having isotropic strength properties and comprising a three-dimensional network of reinforcing yarns embedded in a body. The yarns are arranged in a plurality of groups, each group comprising a plurality of yarns arranged parallel with one another. The yarns of at least three of the groups are arranged so that the yarns of each of the three are directed in a mutually orthogonal direction with respect to the other two. At least one other group (or groups of yarns) is directed diagonally to the yarns of at least two of the three mutually orthogonal groups.