Apparatus and assembly for a spark igniter having tangential embedded pins

An igniter assembly comprising:

• a substantially cylindrical shell comprising a tip surface, and a sidewall extending away from said tip surface, said sidewall surrounding a cavity within the shell, said shell having a longitudinal axis extending parallel to said sidewall and orthogonally with respect to said tip surface;
• a shell bore extending from said tip surface to said cavity, said shell bore concentric with the longitudinal axis;
• an electrode positioned within said shell, said electrode comprising a distal firing end positioned proximate said shell bore;
• and
• at least three erosion-resistant pins having a first end embedded within said substantially cylindrical shell at a location between said tip surface and said distal firing end and extending parallel to a line in a substantially tangential orientation with respect to said bore, wherein said at least three erosion-resistant pins extend from the first end along the line such that a second end terminates embedded within said shell.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a combustor comprising a sidewall enclosing a combustion chamber;
• and
• an igniter assembly extending at least partially through said sidewall such that a tip of said igniter assembly is in flow communication with said combustion chamber, said igniter assembly comprising:
• a shell surrounding a cavity;
• a shell bore extending from said tip to said cavity;
• and
• at least three erosion-resistant pins having a first end embedded within said shell at a location between said cavity and said tip and extending parallel to a line in a substantially tangential orientation with respect to said bore, wherein said at least three erosion-resistant pins extend from the first end along the line such that a second end terminates embedded within said shell.