Seal assembly for turbine, bucket/turbine including same, method for sealing interface between rotating and stationary components of a turbine

A method for sealing an interface between a tip portion of a rotor bucket and an inside surface of a stator casing of a turbine, the method comprising:

• positioning a base seal member on the inside surface of the stator casing;
• providing an abradable seal member to a tip portion of the at least one bucket, in facing relation to the base seal member;
• and
• designing the base seal member as a modular, replaceable insert selectively insertable within the inside surface of the main casing.

A turbine comprising:

• a rotor including at least one bucket;
• a stator defining a main casing for the rotor;
• and
• a seal assembly including:
• a base seal member positioned on an inside surface of the main casing;
• and
• an abradable seal member provided to a tip portion of the at least one bucket, said abradable seal member being positionable in facing relation to the base seal member,
• wherein the base seal member is designed as a modular, replaceable insert selectively insertable within the inside surface of the main casing.

A turbine comprising:

• a rotor including at least one bucket;
• a stator defining a main casing for the rotor;
• and
• a seal assembly including:
• a base seal member positioned on an inside surface of the main casing;
• and
• an abradable seal member provided to a tip portion of the at least one bucket, said abradable seal member being positionable in facing relation to the base seal member,
• wherein the stator includes a nozzle vane provided with a supplemental base seal member and the rotor includes an outer surface provided with a supplemental abradable seal, in facing relation with the supplemental base seal member.

A turbine comprising:

• a rotor including an outer surface and at least one bucket extending away from the outer surface;
• a stator having at least one nozzle vane and defining a main casing for the rotor;
• and
• a seal assembly including:
• a base seal member configured to be positioned on a distal end portion of the nozzle vane;
• and
• an abradable seal member designed and configured for application to the outer surface of the rotor, said abradable seal member being positionable in facing relation to the base seal member.