Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine configured for use within a row of samely configured rotor blades. The rotor blade may further include: an airfoil defined between pressure and suction faces; and a midspan shroud comprising a pressure wing and a suction wing extending from the airfoil. The pressure wing and the suction wing of the midspan shroud may be configured so to cooperatively form an interface between installed neighboring ones of the rotor blades within the row of samely configured rotor blades. One of the pressure wing and the suction wing may be designated a first wing, and the first wing may include a chamber hollowed through a first surface of the first wing. The first surface of the first wing may include one of: a circumferential face formed at a distal end of the first wing; and a contact face of the first wing.

Abstract: A turbine bucket assembly and turbine system are disclosed. The turbine bucket assembly includes a single-lobe joint having an integral platform, the joint having a first axial length; a segmented airfoil having a root segment extending radially outward from the platform and a tip segment coupled to the root segment, the tip segment having a second axial length, which is less than the first axial length; and a turbine wheel defining a receptacle with a geometry corresponding to the single-lobe joint and being coupled to the single-lobe joint. The tip segment includes a tip segment material, the root segment includes a root segment material, and the turbine wheel includes a turbine wheel material, the root segment material and the turbine wheel material having a lower heat resistance and a higher thermal expansion than the tip segment material.

Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine configured for use within a row of samely configured rotor blades. The rotor blade may include an airfoil defined between pressure and suction faces and a midspan shroud. The midspan shroud may include pressure and suction wings. The pressure wing and suction wing of the midspan shroud may be configured so to cooperatively form an interface between neighboring ones of the rotor blades within the row of samely configured rotor blades. The interface may include: a pressure wing contact face disposed on the pressure wing that opposes across a gap a suction wing contact face disposed on the suction wing; and a predetermined offset between the pressure wing contact face and suction wing contact face. The predetermined offset may be configured for desirably aligning the contact faces when an expected operating condition closes of the gap.

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; a pair of part-span connectors extending from the airfoil at the suction side and the pressure side, respectively, wherein each of the pair of part-span connectors is located between approximately 40 percent and approximately 70 percent of a radial span measured from the base to a radial tip of the airfoil; and a base connected with a first end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge.

Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine that is configured for use within a row of samely configured rotor blades attached to and circumferentially spaced about a rotor disc. The rotor blade may further include: an airfoil defined between pressure and suction faces; and a midspan shroud comprising a pressure wing and a suction wing extending from the airfoil. The pressure wing and the suction wing of the midspan shroud may be configured so to cooperatively form an interface between installed neighboring ones of the rotor blades within the row of samely configured rotor blades. The interface may include a first one of the pressure wing and the suction wing disposed as an upstream wing and a remaining other one of the pressure wing and the suction wing disposed as a downstream wing. The interface may include the upstream wing and the downstream wing configured as a downstream narrowing step.

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; a pair of part-span connectors extending from the airfoil at the suction side and the pressure side, respectively, wherein each of the pair of part-span connectors is located between approximately 40 percent and approximately 70 percent of a radial span measured from the base to a radial tip of the airfoil; and a base connected with a first end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge.

Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine that is configured for use within a row of samely configured rotor blades attached to and circumferentially spaced about a rotor disc. The rotor blade may further include: an airfoil defined between pressure and suction faces; and a midspan shroud comprising a pressure wing and a suction wing extending from the airfoil. The pressure wing and the suction wing of the midspan shroud may be configured so to cooperatively form an interface between installed neighboring ones of the rotor blades within the row of samely configured rotor blades. The interface may include a first one of the pressure wing and the suction wing disposed as an upstream wing and a remaining other one of the pressure wing and the suction wing disposed as a downstream wing. The interface may include the upstream wing and the downstream wing configured as a downstream narrowing step.

Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine configured for use within a row of samely configured rotor blades. The rotor blade may include an airfoil defined between pressure and suction faces and a midspan shroud. The midspan shroud may include pressure and suction wings. The pressure wing and suction wing of the midspan shroud may be configured so to cooperatively form an interface between neighboring ones of the rotor blades within the row of samely configured rotor blades. The interface may include: a pressure wing contact face disposed on the pressure wing that opposes across a gap a suction wing contact face disposed on the suction wing; and a predetermined offset between the pressure wing contact face and suction wing contact face. The predetermined offset may be configured for desirably aligning the contact faces when an expected operating condition closes of the gap.

Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine configured for use within a row of samely configured rotor blades. The rotor blade may further include: an airfoil defined between pressure and suction faces; and a midspan shroud comprising a pressure wing and a suction wing extending from the airfoil. The pressure wing and the suction wing of the midspan shroud may be configured so to cooperatively form an interface between installed neighboring ones of the rotor blades within the row of samely configured rotor blades. One of the pressure wing and the suction wing may be designated a first wing, and the first wing may include a chamber hollowed through a first surface of the first wing. The first surface of the first wing may include one of: a circumferential face formed at a distal end of the first wing; and a contact face of the first wing.

Abstract: A turbine bucket assembly and turbine system are disclosed. The turbine bucket assembly includes a single-lobe joint having an integral platform, the joint having a first axial length; a segmented airfoil having a root segment extending radially outward from the platform and a tip segment coupled to the root segment, the tip segment having a second axial length, which is less than the first axial length; and a turbine wheel defining a receptacle with a geometry corresponding to the single-lobe joint and being coupled to the single-lobe joint. The tip segment includes a tip segment material, the root segment includes a root segment material, and the turbine wheel includes a turbine wheel material, the root segment material and the turbine wheel material having a lower heat resistance and a higher thermal expansion than the tip segment material.