Methods and apparatus for providing a sacrificial shield for a fuel injector

An apparatus for providing shielding to a fuel injector associated with a combustion device, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one shield support device operable to mount to a tip of a fuel injector;
• and a plurality of shields mounted to the at least one shield support device, the plurality of shields comprising a circumferential surface, wherein each of the plurality of shields is spaced apart from each respective adjacent shield by at least one segmentation, wherein each of the plurality of shields is operable to reduce heat exposure to the tip of the fuel injector, wherein the at least one segmentation comprises at least one of:
• a fault line, a perforation, a weakened portion, an etched line, an etched pattern, or a gap, and wherein the at least one segmentation facilitates shedding one or more adjacent shields when overheating or damage occurs to the one or more adjacent shields;
• and
• at least one successive layer of shields mounted to the at least one shield support device to overlap the plurality of shields, wherein the at least one successive layer of shields comprises a circumferential surface of shields spaced apart from each respective adjacent shield by at least one layer segmentation comprising at least one of:
• a fault line, a perforation, a weakened portion, an etched line, an etched pattern, or a gap, and wherein the at least one segmentation facilitates shedding one or more adjacent shields when overheating or damage occurs to the one or more adjacent shields;
• and
• wherein an outer surface of the at least one shield support device comprises a cavity to receive a retaining device, and when mounted in the cavity, the retaining device substantially extends around the external circumferential surface of the fuel injector.

A fuel injector for a combustion system, the fuel injector comprising:

• a tip end;
• at least one shield support device operable to mount to adjacent to the tip end;
• and
• a plurality of shields mounted to the at least one shield support device, the plurality of shields comprising a circumferential surface, wherein each of the plurality of shields is spaced apart from each respective adjacent shield by at least one segmentation, wherein each of the plurality of shields is operable to reduce heat exposure to the tip of the fuel injector, wherein the at least one segmentation comprises at least one of:
• a fault line, a perforation, a weakened portion, an etched line, an etched pattern, or a gap, and wherein the at least one segmentation facilitates shedding one or more adjacent shields when overheating or damage occurs to the one or more adjacent shields;
• and
• at least one successive layer of shields mounted to the at least one shield support device to overlap the plurality of shields, wherein the at least one successive layer of shields comprises a circumferential surface of shields spaced apart from each respective adjacent shield by at least one layer segmentation comprising at least one of:
• a fault line, a perforation, a weakened portion, an etched line, an etched pattern, or a gap, wherein the at least one layer segmentation facilitates shedding one or more adjacent shields from the at least one successive layer when overheating or damage occurs to the one or more adjacent shields of the at least one successive layer;
• wherein the at least one shield support device comprises a cavity to receive a retaining device, and when mounted in the cavity, the retaining device substantially extends circumferentially around the external circumferential surface of the fuel injector.