Re-use of internal cooling by medium in turbine hot gas path components

An annular turbine component comprising:

• plural arcuate segments arranged to form a complete annular ring, each arcuate segment having end faces provided with seal slots;
• a seal extending between seal slots of adjacent segments sealing a radially oriented gaps between the arcuate segments;
• a channel provided in each segment in proximity to at least one of said seal slots, and adapted to be supplied with cooling air;
• and
• a passage extending from said channel and opening into said at least one seal slot on a radially-outer, high-pressure side of the seal;
• wherein said channel includes a radially inward wall and a radially outward wall, said radially inward wall and said radially outward wall are both radially outward of a radially inner surface of said arcuate segments that is exposed to a hot air path, said radially inward wall and radially outward wall of said cooling channel are both radially inward of said seal slot.

A gas turbine stator comprising:

• first and second axially adjacent, annular shrouds having opposed end faces provided with respective seal slots;
• wherein a circumferential, axially-extending gap is formed between said opposed end faces;
• a circumferential seal seated in said respective seal slots to thereby seal said axially-extending gap, said seal, in use, separating relatively higher and lower pressure areas on radially-outer and radially-inner sides thereof;
• and
• one or more cooling channels provided within each of said first and second axially-adjacent, annular shrouds adapted to be supplied with cooling air, said one or more cooling channels arranged to introduce cooling air into a respective one of said seal slots in the relatively higher pressure area on said radially-outer side of said seal;
• wherein said one or more cooling channels includes a radially inward wall and a radially outward wall, said radially inward wall and said radially outward wall are both radially outward of a radially inner surface of said shrouds that is exposed to a hot air path, and said radially inward wall and radially outward wall of the one or more cooling channels are both radially inward of said seal slot.