Segmented micro-channel for improved flow

A gas turbine engine, comprising:

• a compressor;
• a combustion system;
• and
• a turbine section, comprising:
• a casing;
• a shroud segment coupled to an outer casing;
• a cavity configured to receive a cooling fluid from the compressor, wherein the shroud segment comprises:
• a body including a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side edge, a second side edge, and a pair of opposed lateral sides between the leading and trailing edges and the first and second side edges, wherein a first lateral side of the pair of opposed lateral sides is configured to interface with the cavity, and a second lateral side of the pair of opposed lateral sides is oriented toward a hot gas flow path;
• a plurality of channels disposed within the body and extending from adjacent the first side edge to adjacent the second side edge, wherein each channel of the plurality of channels comprises a first end portion and a second end portion;
• and
• wherein the plurality of channels are configured to receive the cooling fluid from the cavity to cool the body, and wherein the respective second end portions each have a segmented channel having a exit feature, and the respective exit features are configured to reduce blockage within the respective channels of the plurality of channels.

A method for manufacturing an inner shroud segment for use in a turbine section of a gas turbine engine, comprising:

• providing a body of the inner shroud segment, wherein the body includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side edge, a second side edge, and a pair of opposed lateral sides between the leading and trailing edges and the first and second side edges, wherein a first lateral side of the pair of opposed lateral sides is configured to interface with a cavity comprising a cooling fluid defined by the inner shroud segment coupled to an outer shroud segment, and a second lateral side of the pair of opposed lateral sides is oriented toward a hot gas flow path;
• forming a plurality of channels within the body extending from adjacent the first side edge to adjacent the second side edge via electrical discharge machining, wherein each channel of the plurality of segmented channels comprises a first end portion and a second end portion, and wherein the respective end portions each have a segmented channel, and wherein the respective end portions each have a segmented channel;
• forming target features along the first and second side edges aligned with the second end portions of the plurality of channels via electrical discharge machining;
• subsequent to forming the target features, brazing a pre-sintered preform layer onto the second lateral side, wherein the pre-sintered preform layer comprises a first surface configured to interface with the hot gas flow path and a second surface that together with the body defines the plurality of channels;
• and
• subsequent to brazing the pre-sintered perform layer onto the second lateral side, forming a respective exit feature of a plurality of exit features within each second end portion of the plurality of channels via electrical discharge machining via a hole popping operation utilizing an electrode.