Abstract: A turbine shroud for turbine systems may include a forward end including a first hook coupled to the turbine casing, an aft end including a second hook coupled to the turbine casing, and a base portion extending between the forward end and the aft end. The base portion may include an inner surface facing a hot gas flow path for the turbine system. Also, the turbine shroud may include a flange extending from the aft end and positioned radially between the base portion and the second hook, a cooling passage positioned within the base portion, adjacent the inner surface, and at least one aft end exhaust conduit in fluid communication with the cooling passage. The aft end exhaust conduit(s) may extend through the aft end, radially between the base portion and the flange.

Abstract: A rotor blade for use in combustion turbine engine. The rotor blade may include: an airfoil assembled from two radially stacked non-integral sections in which a body section resides inboard of a cap section; an outboard tip of the airfoil that is enclosed by a tip plate having a tip rail; and a cooling configuration that includes cooling channels for directing a coolant through the rotor blade. Each of the cooling channels may include segments, in which: a supply segment extends radially through the airfoil, the supply segment being radially defined between a floor and ceiling; a rail segment extends through an interior of the tip rail; and a connecting segment extends between the supply segment and rail segment. For each of the one or more cooling channels, the ceiling of the supply segment may be defined within the cap section of the airfoil.

Abstract: A rotor blade for use in combustion turbine engine. The rotor blade may include: an airfoil assembled from two radially stacked non-integral sections in which a body section resides inboard of a cap section; an outboard tip of the airfoil that is enclosed by a tip plate having a tip rail; and a cooling configuration that includes cooling channels for directing a coolant through the rotor blade. Each of the cooling channels may include segments, in which: a supply segment extends radially through the airfoil, the supply segment being radially defined between a floor and ceiling; a rail segment extends through an interior of the tip rail; and a connecting segment extends between the supply segment and rail segment. For each of the one or more cooling channels, the ceiling of the supply segment may be defined within the cap section of the airfoil.

Abstract: A turbine blade is provided and includes pressure and suction surfaces connected to define an interior through which coolant is passable and first and second pedestal arrays, each of the first and second pedestal arrays including pedestals respectively coupled to radially outboard portions of respective interior faces of one of the pressure and suction surfaces. The pedestals of the first pedestal array are separated from pedestals of the second pedestal array by gaps respectively defined therebetween.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: an airfoil 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; and a base connected with a first end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge, the base including a non-axisymmetric contour proximate a junction between the base and the airfoil.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: an airfoil 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; and a base connected with a first end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge, the base including a non-axisymmetric contour proximate a junction between the base and the airfoil.

Abstract: A turbine blade is provided and includes pressure and suction surfaces connected to define an interior through which coolant is passable and first and second pedestal arrays, each of the first and second pedestal arrays including pedestals respectively coupled to radially outboard portions of respective interior faces of one of the pressure and suction surfaces. The pedestals of the first pedestal array are separated from pedestals of the second pedestal array by gaps respectively defined therebetween.

Abstract: A platform cooling arrangement in a turbine rotor blade having a platform at an interface between an airfoil and a root. The platform may include a pressure side slashface and a suction side slashface. The platform cooling arrangement may include: a cooling channel formed within the interior of the platform, the cooling channel extending from a first end toward one of the pressure side slashface and the suction side slashface. At a second end, the cooling channel may include a pocket. The pocket may include an abrupt increase in cross-sectional flow area just before the cooling channel reaches the slashface.