Anti-flashback features in gas turbine engine combustors

A gas turbine combustor comprising:

• a base plate having a body extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal flow-axis of the combustor to define a partial flow barrier and comprising at least one aperture for a main swirler assembly, a centrally disposed aperture for a pilot burner, and a plurality of axially-directed apertures for passage of fluid from an upstream side to a downstream side of the base plate;
• the main swirler assembly having an upstream end and a downstream end, the downstream end disposed in the at least one aperture;
• a structure adjacent the pilot burner aperture comprising a plurality of laterally-directed apertures effective to reduce the occurrence of undesired flashbacks on or near the base plate;
• and
• wherein the structure adjacent the pilot burner aperture is a pilot cone comprising an inner cone and an outer cone providing a channel for fluid there between, the outer cone comprising the laterally-directed apertures.