Patent ID: 8393155

Claim:
A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine comprising: an injector housing extending from a third end to a first end along a longitudinal axis, the first end of the housing being fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine and configured to direct compressed air and a liquid fuel to the combustor; a stem extending longitudinally form the third end of the housing in a direction away from the first end to a second end such that the third end is located between the second end and the first end, the stem including a liquid tube configured to deliver the liquid fuel to the fuel injector; an annular shell extending along the longitudinal axis from the third end to the second end and circumferentially disposed about the stem; an insulating air shroud formed inside the shell, the air shroud including a layer of atmospheric air formed in an annular space between the shell and the stem, the annular space (a) being closed at the third end to prevent flow of the atmospheric air in the air shroud to the combustor and (b) including one or more openings at the second end to vent the atmospheric air in the annular space to the atmosphere; and a covering member coupled to the shell and the stem at the second end to at least partially cover the annular space between the shell and the stem at the second end.