Abstract: Turbine frequency tuning, fluid dynamic efficiency, and performance can be improved using a particular profile for a turn of a cooling passage in an airfoil. By blending aspects of baseline and bulb contours into a blended turn with a non-uniform profile, mechanical and/or thermal stress can be reduced in the turn and in an airfoil including the turn, particularly on an outflow side of the turn. Stresses on the airfoil can be reduced using a turn profile that is a blend of a baseline profile and a bulb profile and that can be described by the airfoil core profile.

Abstract: A rotor blade including an airfoil portion and a root portion, and an internal cooling circuit having flow passages in the root portion and the airfoil portion, wherein the internal cooling circuit includes: a first flow passage; and a non-integral plug. The plug may include a plug channel configured to correspond to a desired level of coolant flow through the first cooling passage. The plug may be connected to the rotor blade in a fixed blocking position relative to the first flow passage.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: a base including: a casing having at least one exhaust aperture on an outer surface of the casing; and a core within the casing, the core having: a serpentine cooling passage; and at least one outlet passage fluidly connected with the serpentine cooling passage and the exhaust aperture, wherein the at least one outlet passage permits flow of a coolant from the serpentine cooling passage to the at least one exhaust aperture on the outer surface of the casing; and an airfoil connected with the base at a first end of the airfoil, the airfoil including: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side.

Abstract: Turbine frequency tuning, fluid dynamic efficiency, and performance can be improved using an airfoil profile and/or an endwall contour including at least one of a pressure side bump, a pressure side leading edge bump, or a suction side trough. In particular, by including two endwall bumps on the pressure side and a trough on the suction side combined with a particular airfoil profile, performance can be further improved.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: a base; and an airfoil connected with the base at a first end of the airfoil, the airfoil including: a casing having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side, the casing including an aperture on the leading edge; and a core within the casing, the core having a serpentine shape for supporting the casing and a leading edge passage fluidly connected with the aperture on the leading edge of the casing.

Abstract: An interior cooling configuration formed within an airfoil of a blade of a combustion turbine engine is provided. The interior cooling configuration may include a first flow passage and a second flow passage that have a side-by-side configuration for a segment, and multiple lateral crossover passages extending between and fluidly connecting the first flow passage to the second flow passage. The crossover passages may be staggered.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade for a gas turbine engine is described. The turbine rotor blade includes an airfoil that includes a tip at an outer radial end. The tip includes a rail that defines a tip cavity; and the rail includes a circumscribing rail microchannel. The circumscribing rail microchannel is a microchannel that extends around at least a majority of the length of the inner rail surface.

Abstract: A cooled turbine blade comprises a root for fixing the blade to rotor, an airfoil extending along a radial axis from the root, and a tip shroud disposed at a radially outward end of the airfoil. The tip shroud extends in a circumferential direction from the airfoil and defines, within itself, a core plenum and a peripheral plenum. The airfoil defines an aft airfoil cooling passage that extends radially through the airfoil proximate a trailing edge portion of the airfoil. The airfoil also defines an aft cooling inlet for providing an aft stream of cooling fluid to the aft airfoil cooling passage. The airfoil also defines at least one aft cooling exit for discharging the aft stream of cooling fluid from the aft airflow cooling passage to the peripheral plenum. The tip shroud defines at least one peripheral plenum vent for discharging the aft stream of cooling fluid.

Abstract: An airfoil includes an outer surface having a leading edge, a trailing edge downstream from the leading edge, and a convex surface between the leading and trailing edges. A cavity is inside the outer surface, and a platform is connected to the outer surface and defines a top surface around at least a portion of the outer surface. A first plurality of trenches is beneath the top surface of the platform upstream from the leading edge, wherein each trench in the first plurality of trenches is in fluid communication with the cavity inside the outer surface. A first plurality of cooling passages provide fluid communication from the first plurality of trenches through the top surface of the platform.

Abstract: A turbine blade having a tip including a tip shelf through which pass one or more diffuser cooling holes, the diffuser cooling holes directing the flow of cooling gas along the tip shelf, spreading the flow of cooling gas more evenly along the tip shelf and enhancing the formation of a curtain of cooling air along the tip shelf, leading to lower blade tip temperatures, reduced diversion of cooling air, and greater turbine blade life.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets.

Abstract: Turbine frequency tuning, fluid dynamic efficiency, and performance can be improved using an airfoil profile and/or an endwall contour including at least one of a pressure side bump, a pressure side leading edge bump, or a suction side trough. In particular, by including two endwall bumps on the pressure side and a trough on the suction side combined with a particular airfoil profile, performance can be further improved.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: a base; and an airfoil connected with the base at a first end of the airfoil, the airfoil including: a casing having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side, the casing including an aperture on the leading edge; and a core within the casing, the core having a serpentine shape for supporting the casing and a leading edge passage fluidly connected with the aperture on the leading edge of the casing.

Abstract: Turbine frequency tuning, fluid dynamic efficiency, and performance can be improved using a particular profile for a turn of a cooling passage in an airfoil. By blending aspects of baseline and bulb contours into a blended turn with a non-uniform profile, mechanical and/or thermal stress can be reduced in the turn and in an airfoil including the turn, particularly on an outflow side of the turn. Stresses on the airfoil can be reduced using a turn profile that is a blend of a baseline profile and a bulb profile and that can be described by the airfoil core profile.

Abstract: A bucket assembly is disclosed. The bucket assembly includes an airfoil having a generally aerodynamic contour and defining a tip, and a lower body portion extending generally radially inward from the airfoil. The bucket assembly further includes a tip shroud disposed on the tip of the airfoil and comprising a main body and a rail. The rail includes an exterior surface. The exterior surface defines a microchannel. The bucket assembly further includes a cover layer configured on the exterior surface.

Abstract: An interior cooling configuration formed within an airfoil of a blade of a combustion turbine engine is provided. The interior cooling configuration may include a first flow passage and a second flow passage that have a side-by-side configuration for a segment, and multiple lateral crossover passages extending between and fluidly connecting the first flow passage to the second flow passage. The crossover passages may be staggered.

Abstract: A component is provided and includes a first surface, a second surface adjacent to and oriented transversely with respect to the first surface and having a pocket formed therein defining a rib along a periphery thereof and a thermal barrier coating (TBC) respectively applied to the first surface and to the second surface at the pocket such that the rib is interposed between the TBC of the first and second surfaces.

Abstract: A turbine blade includes an outer surface, and a rim surrounds at least a portion of the outer surface. A trench in the rim extends around at least a portion of the outer surface.

Abstract: A cooled turbine blade shroud with purge holes located proximate regions of the tip shroud cooling cavity that experience cooling air flow recirculation or stagnation. The purge holes may be oriented radially from the cooling cavity to a surface, such as the outer top surface and/or inner/bottom surface, of the tip shroud, and may provide improved heat transfer and consequent cooling and enhanced tip shroud life.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade for a gas turbine engine is described. The turbine rotor blade includes an airfoil that includes a tip at an outer radial end. The tip includes a rail that defines a tip cavity; and the rail includes a circumscribing rail microchannel. The circumscribing rail microchannel is a microchannel that extends around at least a majority of the length of the inner rail surface.