Patent ID: 8209986

Claim:
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; and a 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; and at 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.