Fuel line safety protection system

A protected fuel line within a vehicle, the fuel line comprising:

• a primary fuel conduit installed into a vehicle structure for delivery of a fuel from a storage tank to a propulsion system, the primary fuel conduit having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of interconnected rigid or semi-rigid fuel pipes and connecting elements therebetween extending through a plurality of penetrations in the vehicle structure between the first end and second end;
• and
• an outer sleeve comprising a flexible membrane which is impermeable to the fuel, the flexible membrane extending continuously from the first end to the second end, encircling the primary fuel conduit and sealed to the first end and second end of the primary fuel conduit to define a sealed volume between the primary fuel conduit and the outer sleeve,
• such that the fuel line is protected from fuel escape due to failure of the primary fuel conduit by the sealed volume being configured to restrain fuel leaking from the primary fuel conduit.

A vehicle, comprising

• a propulsion system,
• a vehicle structure, and
• a protected fuel line extending through the vehicle structure for delivery of a fuel to the propulsion system, wherein the protected fuel line comprises:
• a primary fuel conduit, through which in normal operation gaseous or liquid fuel may flow, installed into the vehicle structure, the primary fuel conduit having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of interconnected rigid or semi-rigid fuel pipes and connecting elements therebetween;
• and
• an outer sleeve comprising a flexible membrane which is impermeable to the fuel, the flexible membrane encircling the primary fuel conduit and sealed to the first end and second end of the primary fuel conduit to define a sealed volume between the primary fuel conduit and the outer sleeve,
• such that the fuel line is protected from fuel escape due to failure of the primary fuel conduit by the sealed volume being configured to restrain fuel leaking from the primary fuel conduit;
• and
• a clamp for securing the outer sleeve to a structural member of the vehicle structure, the clamp comprising
• an inner clamping member and
• an outer clamping member,
• the inner clamping member having an inner bearing surface adjacent the outer sleeve,
• the outer clamping member having an outer bearing surface configured to be installed adjacent a surface of the structural member, and
• the inner and outer clamping members each comprising one of a pair of cooperating ramped mating surfaces,
• wherein relative movement of the ramped mating surfaces urges the inner bearing surface away from the outer bearing surface to thereby apply a clamping force to the outer sleeve.

A method of assembling a protected fuel line, comprising:

• installing a primary fuel conduit within a vehicle structure, the primary fuel line having a first end and a second end and comprising a plurality of interconnected rigid or semi-rigid fuel pipes and connecting elements therebetween extending through a plurality of penetrations in the vehicle structure between the first end and second end;
• providing an outer sleeve comprising a flexible membrane which is impermeable to fuel;
• installing the outer sleeve by sliding the outer sleeve over the primary fuel conduit from the first end to the second end such that the flexible membrane encircles the primary fuel conduit;
• sealing the outer sleeve to the primary fuel conduit at the first and second ends to define a sealed volume between the primary fuel conduit and the outer sleeve;
• and
• restraining fuel leaking from the primary fuel conduit in the sealed volume.