Torch igniter

A gas turbine combustor assembly, comprising:

• a primary combustion chamber in fluid communication with a primary fuel injector and a primary air inlet;
• and
• a torch igniter carried by the primary combustion chamber, comprising:
• an auxiliary combustion chamber housing comprising a cylindrical mixing chamber and a conical necked throat region, the throat region aligned coaxially with the mixing chamber and converging downstream of the mixing chamber;
• an air swirler comprising a plurality of swirl openings surrounding an outlet of an auxiliary fuel injector coupled to the auxiliary combustion chamber housing proximate the mixing chamber;
• and
• an ignition source projecting radially through a sidewall of the mixing chamber of the auxiliary combustion chamber housing at a location downstream of the auxiliary fuel injector,
• wherein the mixing chamber and the throat region of the auxiliary combustion chamber housing are configured to create a recirculating flow in an interior of the auxiliary combustion chamber housing, the recirculating flow having a generally toroidal shape around the outlet of the auxiliary fuel injector, flowing away from the auxiliary fuel injector through a central region within the interior of the auxiliary combustion chamber housing and toward the auxiliary fuel injector along the sidewall of the auxiliary combustion chamber housing.