Fuel injectors with torch ignitors

A fuel injector comprising:

• a fuel nozzle configured to issue a spray of fuel from a fuel outlet in a downstream direction along an injection axis, the fuel nozzle defining a main flow passage therethrough;
• an injection fuel line in fluid communication with the fuel nozzle to supply fuel to the fuel nozzle;
• and
• a torch ignitor with a flame outlet opening into the main flow passage of the fuel nozzle for issuing flame into the main flow passage, wherein the fuel nozzle includes an inner air swirler of the main flow passage, the inner air swirler defining a plurality of passages configured to impart swirl on a flow of air flowing therethrough, wherein the fuel nozzle includes an inner heat shield outboard of the inner air swirler, with an insulation gap defined between the inner heat shield and the inner air swirler, wherein an intermediate air swirler is defined between the inner air swirler and the inner heat shield, wherein the fuel nozzle includes a fuel distributor outboard of the inner heat shield, wherein the fuel nozzle includes a prefilmer outboard of the fuel distributor, wherein the prefilmer includes a prefilming surface, wherein the fuel outlet is defined between the fuel distributor and the prefilming surface.

A system comprising:

• an engine case;
• a combustor within the engine case;
• a plurality of fuel injectors extending from outside the engine case to the combustor to issue fuel and air into the combustor for combustion, wherein each of the fuel injectors in the plurality of fuel injectors includes:
• a fuel nozzle connected to the combustor to issue a spray of fuel from a fuel outlet in a downstream direction along an injection axis, the fuel nozzle defining a main flow passage therethrough;
• an injection fuel line in fluid communication with the fuel nozzle to supply fuel to the fuel nozzle;
• and
• a torch ignitor with a flame outlet opening into the main flow passage of the fuel nozzle for issuing flame into the main flow passage, wherein the torch ignitor includes:
• a torch wall defining a combustion chamber therein, wherein the combustion chamber is connected to issue flame through the flame outlet, the flame outlet extending through the torch wall to the main flow passage;
• a torch fuel injector mounted to the torch wall to issue fuel into the combustion chamber;
• and
• at least one ignitor mounted to the torch wall, positioned to ignite fuel issued from the fuel injector, wherein the combustion chamber is connected to the flame outlet by a flame tube, wherein the flame tube and flame outlet are oriented tangentially relative to the injection axis to swirl flame from the combustion chamber around the main flow passage of the fuel nozzle.