Method and system for sealing a dovetail

A method of sealing a gap between a bucket dovetail and a rotor, said method comprising:

• aligning a U-shaped seal with a sealing groove of the dovetail, the U-shaped seal including a first end portion, a second end portion, and a body extending therebetween, wherein the first end portion includes a converging flared cross-section extending from a first extent of the first end portion toward the second end portion and the second end portion includes a converging flared cross-section extending from a first extent of the second end portion toward the first end portion;
• translating the seal along the sealing groove in an outwardly radial direction with respect to the dovetail;
• spreading the first end portion and the second end portion of the U-shaped seal away from each other by the translation such that the first end portion and the second end portion of the seal are resiliently biased towards each other;
• engaging an inclined surface of the sealing groove with the first end portion and the second end portion of the seal, the inclined surface being inclined radially inward with respect to a plane of a centerline of the sealing groove;
• and
• relaxing the bias on the first end portion and the second end portion by said engaging.

A dovetail seal assembly comprising:

• a rotor comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots, each slot configured to matingly engage a respective dovetail of a turbine bucket;
• a turbine bucket comprising a sealing groove formed in said dovetail, said turbine bucket defining a gap between said bucket dovetail and said rotor;
• and
• a sealing member comprising a U-shaped hollow body extending a length of said sealing member, said hollow body comprising a flared end portion, said hollow body further comprising a longitudinal cut therein, where said cut is oriented away from an opening of said sealing groove, said sealing member extending between said rotor and said bucket dovetail to seal said gap.