Pressure vessel with damage mitigating system.

摘要

A pressure vessel (10) is disclosed for holding fluids and the like. The vessel includes an outer shell (18) fabricated of a composite material. A damage mitigating material (50) is integrated within the outer shell, with a major thickness (52) of the shell being disposed inside the damage mitigating material and a minor thickness (54) of the shell being disposed outside the damage mitigating material. The minor thickness of the shell and the damage mitigating material are physically alterable or deformable upon impact by a given exterior force which may be insufficient to affect the major thickness of the shell.