Fluid conduit with self-healing protective sleeve

1. A protective conduit sleeve, comprising:

a length of self-healing material sized to be positioned in a spaced relationship over a conduit;

a first and a second spacer positioned between the self-healing material and the conduit, the spacers being configured to position the self-healing material at the spaced relationship to the conduit, so as to prevent contact between the self-healing material and the conduit, the first and the second spacer extending radially around the conduit; and

a first and a second compression strap, the first compression strap securing the self-healing material to the first spacer, the second compression strap securing the self- healing material to the second spacer; wherein the first and second spacer and the self-healing material form a fluidly sealed hollow space void of material for receiving fluid leaking from the conduit due to a penetration formed in at least one of the conduit, and the conduit and self-healing material when; and

wherein the spaced relationship between the self-healing material and the conduit permits the penetration in the self-healing material to close prior to the fluid being forced into the penetration in the self-healing material.

2. The sleeve according to claim 1 , wherein the self-healing material is an ionomer resin.

3. The sleeve according to claim 1 , wherein the self-healing material is sodium ionomer thermoplastic resin.

4. A fluid conduit system, comprising:

a conduit for fluid materials, the conduit having a cross section; and

a self-healing sleeve, the sleeve having:

a length of self-healing material sized to be positioned in a spaced relationship over a conduit;

a first and a second spacer positioned between the self-healing material and the conduit, the spacers being configured to position the self-healing material at the spaced relationship to the conduit, so as to prevent contact between the self-healing material and the conduit, the first and the second spacer extending radially around the conduit; and

a first and a second compression strap, the first compression strap securing the self-healing material to the first spacer, the second compression strap securing the self-healing material to the second spacer;

wherein the first and second spacer and the self-healing material form a fluidly sealed hollow space void of material for receiving fluid leaking from the conduit due to a penetration formed in at least one of the conduit, and the conduit and self-healing material: and

wherein the spaced relationship between the self-healing material and the conduit permits the penetration in the self-healing material to close prior to the fluid being forced into the penetration in the self-healing material.

5. The fluid conduit system according to claim 4 , wherein the sleeve is comprised of an ionomer resin.

6. The fluid conduit system according to claim 4 , wherein the sleeve is comprised of sodium ionomer thermoplastic resin.

7. A method of preventing fluid leaks due to projectiles, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a length of fluid conduit that may be exposed to projectiles;

selecting a self-healing sleeve that is sized to be placed over the conduit in a spaced relationship;

placing the self-healing sleeve over the conduit, the sleeve contacting a ring-type spacer, the spacer being in direct contact with the conduit, so as to prevent contact between the self-healing sleeve and the conduit;

securing the sleeve in the spaced relationship with the conduit to create a hollow space void of material between the conduit and the sleeve, the ring-type spacer being configured to separate the sleeve from the conduit; and

sealing the hollow space between the conduit and the sleeve.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the securing and spacing are completed in a single step of installing seals that maintain both the spaced relationship and the sealing of the hollow space.