Abstract: In a gas turbine bucket having a shank portion and an airfoil portion having leading and trailing edges and pressure and suction sides, an internal cooling circuit, the internal cooling circuit having a serpentine configuration including plural radial outflow passages and plural radial inflow passages, and wherein a coolant inlet passage communicates with a first of the radial outflow passages along the trailing edge, the first radial outflow passage having a plurality of radially extending and radially spaced elongated rib segments extending between and connecting the pressure and suction sides in a middle region of the first passage to prevent ballooning of the pressure and suction sides at the first radial outflow passage.

Abstract: Third stage turbine buckets have airfoil profiles substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth Table I wherein X and Y values are in inches and the Z values are non-dimensional values from 0 to 0.938 convertible to Z distances in inches by multiplying the Z values by the height of the airfoil in inches. The X and Y values are distances which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape. The X and Y distances may be scalable as a function of the same constant or number to provide a scaled up or scaled down airfoil section for the bucket. The nominal airfoil given by the X, Y and Z distances lies within an envelop of ±0.150 inches in directions normal to the surface of the airfoil.

Abstract: Fourth stage turbine buckets have airfoil profiles substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth Table I wherein X and Y values are in inches and the Z values are non-dimensional values from 0 to 1 convertible to Z distances in inches by multiplying the Z values by the height of the airfoil in inches. The X and Y values are distances which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape. The X and Y distances may be scalable as a function of the same constant or number to provide a scaled up or scaled down airfoil section for the bucket. The nominal airfoil given by the X, Y and Z distances lies within an envelope of ±0.150 inches in directions normal to the surface of the airfoil.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cooling apparatus for cooling a turbine blade. The cooling apparatus comprises a pressure side plate comprising a plurality of pressure ribs, a suction side plate comprising a plurality of suction ribs, and a plurality of flow redirection areas. The pressure side plate is disposed over the suction side plate, where the pressure ribs are disposed at a first angle with respect to a blade span reference line and the suction ribs are disposed at a second angle with respect to the blade span reference line, to form the flow redirection areas. The present invention provides a method of fabricating the cooling apparatus for the turbine blade comprising aligning the pressure side plate and the suction side plate to form the plurality of flow redirection areas between the pressure side plate and the suction side plate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cooling apparatus for cooling a turbine blade. The cooling apparatus comprises a pressure side plate comprising a plurality of pressure ribs, a suction side plate comprising a plurality of suction ribs, and a plurality of flow redirection areas. The pressure side plate is disposed over the suction side plate, where the pressure ribs are disposed at a first angle with respect to a blade span reference line and the suction ribs are disposed at a second angle with respect to the blade span reference line, to form the flow redirection areas. The present invention provides a method of fabricating the cooling apparatus for the turbine blade comprising aligning the pressure side plate and the suction side plate to form the plurality of flow redirection areas between the pressure side plate and the suction side plate.

Abstract: The invention provides a brush seal assembly, and method of using, for reducing adverse fluid flow effects to a brush seal,.the brush seal assembly comprising a support housing having a passage; a rotating shaft disposed in the passage of the support housing, the rotating shaft including a shaft body having a periphery and an annular tooth extending around the periphery of the shaft body; and an annular brush seal including a plurality of bristles extending around the shaft body, each of the plurality of bristles attached to and extending from the support housing in the passage towards the rotating shaft.

Abstract: The steam cooling circuit for a gas turbine includes a bore tube assembly supplying steam to circumferentially spaced radial tubes coupled to supply elbows for transitioning the radial steam flow in an axial direction along steam supply tubes adjacent the rim of the rotor. The supply tubes supply steam to circumferentially spaced manifold segments located on the aft side of the 1-2 spacer for supplying steam to the buckets of the first and second stages. Spent return steam from these buckets flows to a plurality of circumferentially spaced return manifold segments disposed on the forward face of the 1-2 spacer. Crossover tubes couple the steam supply from the steam supply manifold segments through the 1-2 spacer to the buckets of the first stage. Crossover tubes through the 1-2 spacer also return steam from the buckets of the second stage to the return manifold segments. Axially extending return tubes convey spent cooling steam from the return manifold segments to radial tubes via return elbows.

Abstract: The second-stage buckets have airfoil profiles substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in inches in Table I wherein Z is a perpendicular distance from a plane normal to a radius of the turbine centerline and containing the X and Y values with the Z value commencing at zero in the X, Y plane at the radially innermost aerodynamic section of the airfoil and X and Y are coordinate values defining the airfoil profile at each distance Z. The X and Y values may be scaled as a function of the same constant or number to provide a scaled-up or scaled-down airfoil section for the bucket. The second-stage wheel has sixty buckets.

Abstract: The invention provides a brush seal, and a method of using a brush seal, for providing a seal between a support housing and a rotating shaft. The brush seal comprises a support portion; a back plate connected to and extending from the support portion on a back side of the support portion. The brush seal further includes a set of bristles attached to the support portion, the back plate disposed on a back side of the set of bristles and supporting the set of bristles. The brush seal further includes at least one fitting portion connected to and extending from the support portion, each of the at least one fitting portions configured to mate with a corresponding slot in the support housing so as to prevent mis-fit of the brush seal in the support housing.

Abstract: In a gas turbine bucket having a shank portion and an airfoil portion having leading and trailing edges and pressure and suction sides, an internal cooling circuit, the internal cooling circuit having a serpentine configuration including plural radial outflow passages and plural radial inflow passages, and wherein a coolant inlet passage communicates with a first of the radial outflow passages along the trailing edge, the first radial outflow passage having a plurality of radially extending and radially spaced elongated rib segments extending between and connecting the pressure and suction sides in a middle region of the first passage to prevent ballooning of the pressure and suction sides at the first radial outflow passage.

Abstract: The steam cooling circuit for a gas turbine includes a bore tube assembly supplying steam to circumferentially spaced radial tubes coupled to supply elbows for transitioning the radial steam flow in an axial direction along steam supply tubes adjacent the rim of the rotor. The supply tubes supply steam to circumferentially spaced manifold segments located on the aft side of the 1-2 spacer for supplying steam to the buckets of the first and second stages. Spent return steam from these buckets flows to a plurality of circumferentially spaced return manifold segments disposed on the forward face of the 1-2 spacer. Crossover tubes couple the steam supply from the steam supply manifold segments through the 1-2 spacer to the buckets of the first stage. Crossover tubes through the 1-2 spacer also return steam from the buckets of the second stage to the return manifold segments. Axially extending return tubes convey spent cooling steam from the return manifold segments to radial tubes via return elbows.