Coolant delivery via an independent cooling circuit

A cooling system, comprising:

• a component of a gas turbine system;
• and
• an independent cooling circuit for selectively delivering cooling fluid to the component of a gas turbine system, including:
• a plurality of independent circuits of cooling channels embedded within an exterior wall of the component, wherein the plurality of circuits of cooling channels are interwoven together;
• an impingement plate;
• and
• a plurality of feed tubes connecting the impingement plate to the exterior wall of the component and fluidly coupling each of the plurality of circuits of cooling channels to at least one supply of cooling fluid,
• wherein, in each of the plurality of circuits of cooling channels, the cooling fluid flows through the plurality of feed tubes into the circuit of cooling channels only in response to a formation of a breach in the exterior wall of the component that exposes at least one of the cooling channels of the circuit of cooling channels.

A method for reducing spallation-related damage to a component of a gas turbine system, comprising:

• embedding an independent cooling system in the component, wherein the independent cooling system includes:
• a plurality of independent circuits of cooling channels embedded within an exterior wall of the component, wherein the plurality of circuits of cooling channels are interwoven together;
• an impingement plate;
• and
• a plurality of feed tubes connecting the impingement plate to the exterior wall of the component and fluidly coupling each of the plurality of circuits of cooling channels to at least one supply of cooling fluid,
• and
• directing a flow of cooling fluid into at least one of the plurality of circuits of cooling channels only in response to a formation of a breach in the exterior wall of the component that exposes a portion of the at least one of the plurality of independent circuits of cooling channels.