초록 ▼

A protection system for a pre-mixing apparatus for a turbine engine, includes: a main body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion and an exterior wall that collectively establish a fuel delivery plenum; and a plurality of fuel mixing tubes that extend through at least a portion of the fuel deliv

A protection system for a pre-mixing apparatus for a turbine engine, includes: a main body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion and an exterior wall that collectively establish a fuel delivery plenum; and a plurality of fuel mixing tubes that extend through at least a portion of the fuel delivery plenum, each of the plurality of fuel mixing tubes including at least one fuel feed opening fluidly connected to the fuel delivery plenum; at least one thermal fuse disposed on an exterior surface of at least one tube, the at least one thermal fuse including a material that will melt upon ignition of fuel within the at least one tube and cause a diversion of fuel from the fuel feed opening to at least one bypass opening. A method and a turbine engine in accordance with the protection system are also provided.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A protection system for a pre-mixing apparatus for a turbine engine, the system comprising: a main body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion and an exterior wall that collectively establish at least one fuel delivery plenum; anda plurality of fuel-air mixing tubes that extend from the inlet

1. A protection system for a pre-mixing apparatus for a turbine engine, the system comprising: a main body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion and an exterior wall that collectively establish at least one fuel delivery plenum; anda plurality of fuel-air mixing tubes that extend from the inlet portion of the main body to the outlet portion of the main body through at least a portion of the at least one fuel delivery plenum, at least one of the plurality of fuel-air mixing tubes comprising at least one fuel feed opening fluidly providing a flow of fuel from the at least one fuel delivery plenum into the at least one fuel-air mixing tube; andat least one thermal fuse disposed on an exterior surface of the at least one fuel-air mixing tube, the at least one thermal fuse comprising a material susceptible to that will melt upon an ignition of fuel within the at least one fuel-air mixing tube, and the at least one thermal fuse to divert the flow of fuel from the at least one fuel delivery plenum into the at least one fuel-air mixing tube, and to allow the flow of fuel from the fuel feed opening to at least one bypass opening of the at least one fuel-air mixing tube. 2. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein the bypass opening is disposed in at least one of the outlet portion and a downstream portion of the at least one fuel mixing tube. 3. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one thermal fuse comprises at least one of aluminum, lead, tin and a material selected for melting upon the ignition. 4. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one thermal fuse is disposed over the bypass opening. 5. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one thermal fuse is shared between at least two of the fuel mixing tubes. 6. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein the thermal fuse comprises a unitary thermal fuse. 7. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one thermal fuse covers the bypass opening of a single fuel mixing tube. 8. The protection system as in claim 1, wherein melting of the at least one thermal fuse provides for redirection of fuel to cause one of lean-direct-injection of the fuel, some pre-mixing of the fuel, and premixed-direct-injection of the fuel. 9. A method of fabricating a pre-mixing apparatus for delivering fuel to a combustion chamber, the method comprising: selecting a pre-mixing apparatus comprising a main body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion and an exterior wall that collectively establish at least one fuel delivery plenum, and a plurality of fuel-air mixing tubes that extend from the inlet portion of the pre-mixing apparatus to the outlet portion of the pre-mixing apparatus through at least a portion of the at least one fuel delivery plenum, at least one of the plurality of fuel-air mixing tubes comprising at least one fuel feed opening providing a flow of fuel from the at least one fuel delivery plenum into the at least one fuel-air mixing tube;selecting a fuse material for installing at least one thermal fuse into the pre-mixing apparatus; andplacing at least one thermal fuse on an exterior surface of the at least one fuel-air mixing tube of the pre-mixing apparatus, wherein the at least one thermal fuse comprises a material susceptible to melt upon an ignition of fuel within the at least one fuel-air mixing tube, and the at least one thermal fuse diverts the flow of fuel from the at least one fuel delivery plenum into the at least one fuel-air mixing tube, and diverts the flow of fuel from the fuel feed opening to at least one bypass opening of the at least one fuel-air mixing tube. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising disposing at least one bypass opening at a location selected for receiving fuel upon an activation of the at least one thermal fuse. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the location comprises at least one of a downstream portion of the at least one fuel mixing tube and the outlet portion. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the selecting comprises identifying fuse material that comprises a melting point that is exceeded upon reaching a temperature for ignition of fuel within the pre-mixing apparatus. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the selecting comprises identifying fuse material that comprises a melting point that is not reached during normal operation of the pre-mixing apparatus. 14. The method of claim 9, further comprising disposing at least one of a bypass opening and the thermal fuse according to a performance characteristic of the turbine upon melting of the thermal fuse. 15. A turbine engine comprising: at least one source of fuel;at least one source of combustion air;an apparatus for mixing the fuel with the combustion air, the apparatus comprising a main body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion and an exterior wall that collectively establish at least one fuel delivery plenum, and a plurality of fuel-air mixing tubes that extend from the inlet portion of the apparatus to the outlet portion of the apparatus through at least a portion of the at least one fuel delivery plenum, at least one of the plurality of fuel-air mixing tubes comprising at least one fuel feed opening fluidly providing a flow of fuel from the at least one fuel delivery plenum into the at least one fuel-air mixing tube; andat least one thermal fuse disposed on an exterior surface of at least one fuel mixing tube, the at least one thermal fuse comprising a material susceptible to melt upon an ignition of fuel within the at least one fuel-air mixing tube, and the at least one thermal fuse to divert the flow of fuel from the at least one fuel delivery plenum into the at least one fuel-air mixing tube, and to allow the flow of fuel from the fuel feed opening to at least one bypass opening of the fuel-air mixing tube. 16. The turbine engine as in claim 15, wherein the fuel is selectively delivered to the fuel delivery plenum, passed through the at least one fuel feed opening and mixed with the combustion air flowing through at least a portion of the plurality of fuel mixing tubes prior to being combusted in a combustion chamber of the turbine engine. 17. The turbine engine as in claim 15, wherein the diversion provides for one of lean-direct injection and premixed direct injection of the fuel.