Combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine

A method comprising the steps of:

• defining of a combustion chamber with an inner surface of a combustor liner extending along an axis;
• fixing the combustor liner to a hanger, the hanger having a first flange portion extending radially inward therefrom, said first flange portion forming a step including a first wall portion at a first wall thickness and a second wall portion at a second wall thickness that is less than said first wall thickness;
• shielding at least part of the inner surface of the combustor liner with a heat shield, the heat shield having second flange portions extending radially outward therefrom, the second flange portions in contact with said first wall portion and said second wall portion of the first flange portion, the heat shield at least partially overlapping and confronting the inner surface of the combustor liner along the axis to form an axially extending gap, said heat shield forming a plurality of radially outer surfaces between said second flange portions, said radially outer surfaces oppose said first wall portion to form circumferentially extending gaps between said second flange portions, said heat shield forming recesses that oppose said second wall portion to form radially extending gaps, such that air flow passes from the circumferentially extending gaps into said radially extending gaps and into said axially extending gap;
• and
• releasably engaging the heat shield with the hanger.

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a compressor section operable to compress fluid;
• a combustor section positioned downstream of said compressor section along a centerline axis and defining a combustion chamber operable to receive compressed fluid from said compressor section;
• and
• a turbine section positioned downstream of said combustor section along said centerline axis and operable to receive combustion gases from said combustion chamber;
• wherein said combustor section includes a combustor assembly comprising:
• a hanger having a first flange portion extending radially inward therefrom, said first flange portion forming a step including a first wall portion at a first wall thickness and a second wall portion at a second wall thickness that is less than said first wall thickness;
• a combustor liner fixed to said hanger, said combustor liner having an inner surface extending along said centerline axis;
• and
• a heat shield at least partially overlapping and confronting said inner surface of said combustor liner along said centerline axis to form an axially extending gap, said heat shield having a second flange portions extending radially outward therefrom, said second flange portions in contact with of said first wall portion and said second wall portion of said first flange portion, said heat shield releasably engaged with said hanger, said heat shield forming a plurality of radially outer surfaces between said second flange portions, said radially outer surfaces oppose said first wall portion to form circumferentially extending gaps between said second flange portions, said heat shield forming recesses that oppose said second wall portion to form radially extending gaps, such that air flow passes from the circumferentially extending gaps into said radially extending gaps and into said axially extending gap;
• and
• fasteners passing through said first flange portion and said second flange portions and extending in a direction parallel with said centerline axis.