Nested tank construction

A nested tank construction for pressurized materials comprising:

• first and second cylindrical tanks;
• means connecting said tanks together so that they are axially aligned;
• said first tank comprising a dome end which is inverted so that it extends inwardly into the first tank and is under compression loading when exposed to pressure within said first tank;
• said second tank comprising a dome end separate from said first tank dome end which extends outwardly from said second tank and is under tension loading when exposed to pressure within said second tank;
• said first and second tank dome ends having a matching geometry;
• said second tank dome end being nested into the first tank dome end;
• said first tank dome end comprising:
• a rigid membrane having a concave face;
• a honeycomb core adhered to said concave face of said membrane and thus having a concave face;
• a face sheet adhered to the concave face of said honeycomb core;
• and
• said nested dome ends being spaced apart and defining a gap between the face sheet of said first tank dome end and said second tank dome end.

A nested tank construction for pressurized materials comprising:

• a first tank comprising a cylindrical barrel of predetermined diameter and a dome end attached to one end of said barrel, said first tank dome end being inverted and protruding inwardly with respect to said barrel and under compression loading when exposed to pressure within said first tank;
• a second tank comprising a cylindrical barrel having essentially the same diameter as said first tank barrel and a dome end attached to one end of said second tank barrel, said second tank dome end extending outwardly with respect to said second tank barrel and under tension loading when exposed to pressure within said second tank;
• means connecting said tanks together so that said second tank barrel is axially aligned with said first tank barrel, said first and
• second tank dome ends having a matching geometry and being in a nested contiguous relationship with respect to each other;
• composite structure comprising:
• an aluminum membrane having a concave face;
• a honeycomb core adhered to said concave face of said aluminum membrane and thus having a concave face;
• and
• a fiber composite face sheet adhered to the concave face of said honeycomb core;
• said nested dome ends further defining a gap between the face sheet of said first tank dome end and said second tank dome end;
• said second tank dome end being monologue.