Gas turbine engine component with independent cooling circuit

Abstract

Embodiments of a stand-alone cooling circuit for selectively delivering a cooling fluid to a component of a gas turbine system include a plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits embedded within an outer wall of the component, wherein the plurality of cooling channel circuits are interwoven together; a strike plate; and a plurality of feed tubes connecting the strike plate to the outer wall of the component and fluidly coupling each of the plurality of cooling channel circuits to at least one cooling fluid supply, wherein, in each of the plurality of cooling channel circuits, the cooling fluid flows through the plurality of feed tubes into the cooling channel circuit only in response to a breach in the outer wall of the component that exposes at least one of the cooling channels of the cooling channel circuit.

Description

[0001] Statement as to Federally Sponsored Research or Development

[0002] This invention was made with government support under Contract No. DE- FE0031611 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in the invention. BACKGROUND

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to turbine systems, and more particularly to the delivery of cooling fluid to components of a gas turbine system via independent cooling circuits.

[0004] Gas turbine systems are one example of a turbine machine that is widely used in fields such as power generation. Conventional gas turbine systems generally include a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section. During operation of a gas turbine system, various components in the system, such as turbine blades, nozzle airfoils, and shroud segments, are subjected to high temperature gas flow, which can lead to component failure. Since higher temperature gas flow generally results in increased performance, efficiency, and power output of a gas turbine system, it is advantageous to cool components that are subjected to high temperature gas flow to allow the gas turbine system to operate at elevated temperatures and to extend the life of the components of the gas turbine system.

[0005] Cooling is generally provided by directing a flow of cooling fluid through internal passages formed in the components of the gas turbine system (e.g., convective cooling, impingement cooling, etc.). In many cases, the cooling fluid is provided by bleeding a portion of the air discharged by the compressor section of the gas turbine system.

[0006] Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are commonly applied to components of a gas turbine system to provide protective thermal shielding, prevent damage due to high temperatures, and extend component life by reducing oxidation and thermal fatigue. Spallation of TBCs is a common problem in gas turbine systems. When a TBC spalls, portions of the TBC can break off and detach from the component, thereby exposing the underlying surface to high temperatures and damage (e.g., wall notching). SUMMARY

[0007] One aspect of the disclosure relates to an independent cooling circuit for selectively delivering a flow of cooling fluid to a component of a gas turbine system, the independent cooling circuit comprising: a plurality of independent cooling channel circuits embedded within an outer wall of the component, wherein the plurality of cooling channel circuits are interwoven together; a strike plate; and a plurality of feed tubes connecting the strike plate to the outer wall of the component and fluidly coupling each of the plurality of cooling channel circuits to at least one cooling fluid supply, wherein, in each of the plurality of cooling channel circuits, the cooling fluid flows through the plurality of feed tubes into the cooling channel circuit only in response to a breach formed in the outer wall of the component that exposes at least one of the cooling channels of the cooling channel circuit.

[0008] Another aspect of the disclosure relates to a cooling system comprising: a component of a gas turbine system; and an independent cooling circuit for selectively delivering a flow of cooling fluid to the component of a gas turbine system, the independent cooling circuit comprising: a plurality of independent cooling channel circuits embedded within an outer wall of the component, wherein the plurality of cooling channel circuits are interwoven together; a strike plate; and a plurality of feed tubes connecting the strike plate to the outer wall of the component and fluidly coupling each of the plurality of cooling channel circuits to at least one cooling fluid supply, wherein, in each of the plurality of cooling channel circuits, the cooling fluid flows through the plurality of feed tubes into the cooling channel circuit only in response to a breach formed in the outer wall of the component that exposes at least one of the cooling channels of the cooling channel circuit.

[0009] Another aspect of the disclosure relates to a method for reducing spallation-related damage to a component of a gas turbine system, the method comprising: embedding a plurality of independent cooling channel circuits within a section of an outer wall of the component, wherein the plurality of cooling channel circuits are interwoven together; and directing a flow of cooling fluid into at least one of the plurality of cooling channel circuits only in response to a wall breach that exposes a portion of at least one of the plurality of cooling channel circuits.

[0010] Exemplary aspects of the disclosure address the problems described herein and / or other, unaddressed problems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] These and other features of the disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that illustrate various embodiments of the disclosure.

[0012] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a gas turbine system according to an embodiment is depicted.

[0013] Figure 2 A side view of a portion of a turbine section of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 A perspective view of a turbine bucket is depicted in accordance with an embodiment.

[0015] Figure 4A And Figure 4B Examples of impingement cooling before and after formation of a wall cutout are depicted.

[0016] Figure 5 A stand-alone cooling circuit in a component of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an embodiment, as viewed from the inside of the component.

[0017] Figure 6 A stand-alone cooling circuit in a component of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an embodiment, as viewed from the outside of the component. Figure 5

[0018] Figure 7 A stand-alone cooling circuit in a component of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an embodiment, as viewed from the outside of the component. Figure 6

[0019] Figure 8 A stand-alone cooling circuit in a component of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an embodiment, as viewed from the outside of the component. Figure 5

[0020] Figure 9 A stand-alone cooling circuit in a component of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an embodiment, as viewed from the outside of the component. Figure 5

[0021] Figure 10 Operation of a stand-alone cooling circuit in a component of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an embodiment, after partial or complete formation of an outer wall cutout. Figure 5

[0022] A stand-alone cooling circuit in a component of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an additional embodiment. Figure 11

[0023] A stand-alone cooling circuit in a component of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an additional embodiment, as viewed from the outside of the component. Figure 12 Figure 11 A stand-alone cooling circuit in a component of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an additional embodiment, as viewed from the outside of the component.

[0024] Figure 13 Figure 11 A stand-alone cooling circuit in a component of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an additional embodiment, as viewed from the outside of the component.

[0025] Figure 14 A stand-alone cooling circuit in a component of a gas turbine system is depicted in accordance with an additional embodiment.​​​​​​

[0026] Figure 15 depicts a cross-sectional view of the independent cooling circuit of Figure 14 depicts another view of the independent cooling circuit of

[0027] Figure 16 depicts a cross-sectional view of the independent cooling circuit of Figure 14 depicts another view of the independent cooling circuit of

[0028] Figure 17 depicts a cross-sectional view of the independent cooling circuit of

[0029] Figure 18 depicts a block diagram of an additive manufacturing process according to an embodiment,

[0030] The additive manufacturing process includes a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing code representative of an article.

[0031] Figure 19 and Figure 20 depicts a wall coupon of an additive manufacturing for a component of a gas turbine system according to an embodiment.

[0032] Figure 21 and Figure 22 depicts a wall coupon of an additive manufacturing having a powder removal opening according to an embodiment.

[0033] It should be noted that the figures of the present disclosure are not necessarily drawn to scale. The figures are intended to depict only typical aspects of the present disclosure, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In the drawings, like numbering represents similar elements between the figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Reference will now be made in detail to the representative embodiments illustrated in the drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, which can be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the claims.

[0035] First, in order to clearly describe the present disclosure, it will be necessary to select certain terminology when referring to and describing relevant machine components within the scope of the present disclosure. In doing so, generic industry terminology will be used and employed, where possible, in a manner consistent with its accepted meaning. Such terminology should be given a broad interpretation consistent with the context of the instant application and the scope of the appended claims, unless otherwise indicated. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a number of different or overlapping terms can be used to reference a particular component. An object that can be described herein as a single part can include multiple components and be referenced elsewhere as being composed of multiple components. Alternatively, an object that can be described herein as including multiple components can be referred to elsewhere as a single part.

[0036] Further, a number of descriptive terms can be used herein on a regular basis, and it can prove helpful to define these terms at the outset of this section. Unless otherwise indicated, these terms, and their definitions, are as follows. As used herein, "downstream" and "upstream" are terms indicating direction with respect to fluid flow, such as working fluid through a turbine engine, or for example, air flow through a combustor or coolant through one of the component systems of a turbomachine. The term "downstream" corresponds to the direction of fluid flow, and the term "upstream" refers to the direction opposite to the flow. Without any further particularity, the terms "forward" and "aft" refer to direction, with "forward" referring to the forward or compressor end of the engine, and "aft" referring to the aft or turbine end of the engine. Additionally, the terms "forwardly" and "aftly" can be used and / or understood to describe similarly to the terms "forward" and "aft," respectively. Often, it is necessary to describe parts that are in different radial, axial, and / or circumferential positions. The "A" axis represents an axial orientation. As used herein, the terms "axial" and / or "axially" refer to the relative position / direction of an object along the axis A, which is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of a gas turbine system, particularly a rotor segment. As further used herein, the terms "radial" and / or "radially" refer to the relative position / direction of an object along the direction "R" (see Figure 1 ), which is substantially perpendicular to the axis A and intersects the axis A at only one location. Finally, the term "circumferential" refers to movement or position about the axis A (e.g., direction "C").

[0037] In various embodiments, components described as being "fluidly coupled" or "in fluid communication" with one another can be joined along one or more interfaces. In some embodiments, these interfaces can include junctions between distinct components, and in other cases, these interfaces can include integral and / or monolithic interconnections. That is, in some cases, components "coupled" to one another can be formed simultaneously to define a single continuous member. In other embodiments, however, these coupled components can be formed as separate members and subsequently joined through known processes (e.g., fastening, ultrasonic welding, bonding).

[0038] Where an element or layer is referred to as being "on", "engaged to", "connected to" or "coupled to" another element or layer, it can be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or one or more intervening elements can be present. In contrast, where an element is referred to as being "directly on", "directly engaged to", "directly connected to" or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., "between" versus "directly between", "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent", etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0039] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a gas turbine system 10 is shown in accordance with various embodiments. As shown, the gas turbine system 10 includes a compressor section 12 for compressing an incoming air stream 14 and for delivering a compressed air stream 16 to a combustor section 18. The combustor section 18 mixes the compressed air stream 16 with a pressurized fuel supply 20 and ignites the mixture to form a combustion gas stream 22. While only a single combustor section 18 is shown, the gas turbine system 10 can include any number of combustor sections 18. The combustion gas stream 22 is in turn delivered to a turbine section 24. The combustion gas stream 22 drives the turbine section 24 to produce mechanical work. The mechanical work produced in the turbine section 24 drives the compressor section 12 via a shaft 26 and can be used to drive an external load 28, such as an electrical generator.

[0040] Figure 2A side view depicting a portion of a turbine section 24 of a gas turbine system is shown, including at least one stage 30 of turbine blades 32 (one shown) and at least one stage 34 of nozzles 36 (one shown) located within a housing 38 of the turbine section 24. Each stage 30 of the turbine blades 32 includes a plurality of turbine blades 32 coupled to and circumferentially positioned around a rotor 26 and driven by combustion gas 22. Each stage 34 of the nozzles 36 includes a plurality of nozzles 36 coupled to and circumferentially positioned around the housing 38 of the turbine section 24. Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, each nozzle 36 includes an airfoil 40 positioned between the outer platform 42 and the inner platform 44.

[0041] Similar to nozzle 36, each turbine blade 32 of turbine section 24 includes an airfoil 46 extending radially from rotor 26. Each airfoil 46 includes a tail portion 48 and a platform 50 positioned opposite the tail portion 48.

[0042] The turbine blades 32 and nozzles 36 can be axially positioned adjacent to each other within the housing 38. Figure 2 In this example, nozzle 36 is shown axially positioned adjacent to and downstream of turbine blade 32. Turbine section 24 may include multiple stages 30 of turbine blade 32 and multiple stages 34 of nozzle 36, which are axially positioned throughout housing 38.

[0043] The turbine section 24 of the gas turbine system 10 may include multiple stages 52 of a shroud 54 axially positioned throughout the housing 38. Figure 2 (A level is shown in the text). Figure 2 In this example, stage 52 of shroud 54 is shown radially positioned adjacent to and substantially surrounding or around stage 30 of turbine blade 32. Stage 52 of shroud 54 may also be axially positioned adjacent to and / or upstream of stage 34 of nozzle 36. Furthermore, stage 52 of shroud 54 may be positioned between two adjacent stages 34 of nozzle 36 located on opposite sides of stage 30 of turbine blade 32. Stage 52 of shroud 54 may be connected around housing 38 of turbine section 24 using a set of extensions 56, each extension including an opening 58 configured to receive a corresponding section of shroud 54.

[0044] Go to Figure 3FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a turbine blade 32. The turbine blade 32 includes a shank 60; a platform 50 radially above the platform 50; and an airfoil 46 coupled to the platform 50 and extending radially outward from the platform. The airfoil 46 includes a pressure side 62, an opposite suction side 64, and a tip portion 48. The airfoil 46 also includes a leading edge 68 between the pressure side 62 and the suction side 64; and a trailing edge 70 between the pressure side 62 and the suction side 64 on an opposite side from the leading edge 68.

[0045] Many components of a gas turbine system (e.g., turbine blades, nozzles, shrouds, etc.) can be cooled during operation by directing a supply of stationary cooling fluid through internal passages formed in the components. In many cases, the cooling fluid is provided by bleeding a supply of stationary air discharged by a compressor section of the gas turbine system.

[0046] Many different internal cooling methods are available for cooling components of a gas turbine system, including, for example, convection cooling, film cooling, and impingement cooling. Convection cooling works by flowing cooling fluid through passages inside the component. Heat is transferred through the component by conduction, and then to the cooling fluid flowing through the component. With film cooling, cooling fluid is bled to the outer surface of the component via small holes formed through the outer wall of the component. The cooling fluid provides a thin, cool insulating blanket along the outer surface of the component. Impingement cooling (a variation of convection cooling) works by directing a higher velocity flow of cooling fluid against the inner surface of the component. This allows more heat to be transferred by convection than with regular convection cooling. Impingement cooling is often used in areas of the component that are exposed to high heat loads (e.g., the leading edge of a turbine blade).

[0047] If a breach is formed in a portion of a component of a gas turbine system (e.g., due to TBC spallation or other damage) and exposes any internal cooling passages, some of the supply of stationary cooling fluid can flow out of the component from the exposed internal cooling passages through the breach. This reduces the remaining amount of the supply of stationary cooling fluid available for the component, reducing the effectiveness of cooling, and can lead to component failure. Figure 4A and Figure 4B Examples of such wall breaches are depicted in FIGS. 1-3.

[0048] Figure 4A Examples of impingement cooling in a component 80 of a gas turbine system (e.g., the gas turbine system 10, Figure 1 ) are depicted. As shown, a supply of cooling fluid 82 is directed through a plurality of openings 88 formed in an impingement plate 90 against an inner surface 84 of an outer wall 86 of the component 80. An outer surface 92 of the outer wall 86 of the component 80 is exposed to a hot gas stream 94. Figure 4BA component 80 is depicted having a notch 96 extending through an outer wall 86. As shown, a portion of the cooling fluid 82 escapes through the notch 96 and across the outer wall 86 of the component 80, reducing the available cooling to the component 80, which can lead to damage propagation and potentially component failure.

[0049] According to the implementation, independent cooling circuits are provided to deliver additional independent cooling fluid supply sources to components of the gas turbine system in response to partial or complete wall gaps. Components may include, for example, turbine blades, nozzle airfoils, shroud sections, combustion liners, or other components that may require cooling during operation of the gas turbine system. At least one cooling channel interconnecting circuit may be embedded within the outer wall of the component. Multiple coolant feed channels are provided within the component (e.g., within / on an impact plate or insert, within / on an inner wall, and / or etc.). Multiple feed pipes fluidly connect the coolant feed channels to each cooling channel interconnecting circuit embedded within the outer wall of the component. During normal operation (e.g., when there are no partial or complete gaps in the outer wall of the component), cooling fluid does not flow through the independent cooling circuits because there is no outlet for the cooling fluid. However, when a partial or complete wall gap appears and exposes at least a portion of the cooling channel interconnecting circuit embedded within the outer wall of the component, a flow path is created that allows the cooling fluid supply source to flow through the independent cooling system to the affected area. The additional independent cooling fluid flow thus provides cooling that can extend the life of the component after surface damage has already occurred (e.g., reduce / prevent additional spalling in the notched area) without affecting the effectiveness of baseline cooling within the component (e.g., shock cooling).

[0050] According to a first embodiment of the independent cooling circuit 100 for component 102 of gas turbine system 10, the embodiment is as follows: Figure 1 )exist Figures 5-10 As shown in the diagram. Component 102 may include any components of the gas turbine system 10 that may require cooling, including but not limited to turbine blades, nozzle airfoils, shroud sections, combustion liners, etc. In this example, an impact cooling arrangement 104 is used to cool the outer wall 106 of component 102. For example, to provide impact cooling, a supply source of cooling fluid 108 may be directed into the inner cavity 110 of component 102 during operation of the gas turbine system 10. The supply source of cooling fluid 108 may be, for example, by venting the compressor section 12 of the gas turbine system 10. Figure 1cooling fluid 108 flows from the inner cavity 110 through a plurality of impingement holes 112 formed in the impingement plate 114, into the impingement cavity 118, and against the inner surface 116 of the outer wall 106 of the component 102. After impinging against the inner surface 116 of the outer wall 106, the cooling fluid 108 can be directed from the impingement cavity 118 to one or more internal / external regions of the component 102 (e.g., for film cooling). Although described in connection with impingement cooling in this and other embodiments, the standalone cooling circuit 100 can be used with other cooling arrangements (e.g., convective cooling, etc.).

[0051] Figures 5-10 The standalone cooling circuit 100 depicted in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of coolant feed channels 120 (although not always required depending on the application); a plurality of feed tubes 122; and an interconnecting circuit 124 of cooling channels 126 embedded within the outer wall 106 of the component 102. Figures 7-10 The interconnecting circuit 124 of cooling channels 126 is completely encapsulated within the outer wall 106 of the component 102 such that none of the cooling channels 126 extend to or are exposed at an outer surface 132 (e.g., hot gas surface) of the outer wall 106. The coolant feed channels 120 can be attached to, formed as part of, or within the impingement plate 114, or provided in any other suitable manner. According to embodiments, the nominal location of the feed tubes 122 can be midway between the intersection points 130 to ensure coolant feed at the most likely occurrence of a breach at the intersection points 130. In other embodiments, the feed tubes 122 can be located at or near the intersection points 130.

[0052] Each of these coolant feed channels 120 is fluidly coupled to the interconnecting circuit 124 of cooling channels 126 via a plurality of openings 121 in the impingement plate 114 and the plurality of feed tubes 122. The coolant feed channels 120 are each fluidly coupled to a pressurized supply of cooling fluid 128 that is independent of the supply of cooling fluid 108 provided to the impingement cooling arrangement 104. The supply of cooling fluid 128 can be provided by tapping the supply of air discharged by the compressor section 12 of the gas turbine system 10 or in any other suitable manner (e.g., a supply of compressed air provided by a source other than the compressor section 12 of the gas turbine system 10). The interconnecting circuit 124 of cooling channels 126 does not include an outlet for the cooling fluid 128. If desired, the coolant feed channels 120 can also include separate channels to feed each of the feed tubes 122. In other embodiments, the coolant feed channels 120 can be integral with the outer wall 106.

[0053] In Figures 5-10In the illustrated embodiment, the cooling passages 126 of the interconnection loop 124 can be embedded within the outer wall 106 of the component 102 (e.g., in a planar configuration) at approximately the same distance from the outer surface 132 of the outer wall 106. In addition, the feed tubes 122 can extend into the outer wall 106 approximately the same distance from the cooling passages 126 of the interconnection loop 124. Multiple intersections 130 can be provided to fluidly interconnect all of the cooling passages 126 of the interconnection loop 124. The cooling passages 126 can be arranged in a grid-like pattern (e.g., a rectangular grid) within the outer wall 106 and can extend linearly between the feed tubes 122 and / or between the intersections 130.

[0054] In other embodiments, the cooling passages 126 (or portions thereof) of the interconnection loop 124 can be embedded within the outer wall 106 at different distances from the outer surface 132 of the outer wall 106. This can require the feed tubes 122 to extend into the outer wall 106 different distances from the cooling passages 126 of the interconnection loop 124. In addition, in other embodiments, multiple independent cooling passage loops can be used instead of using a single pressurized cooling fluid supply and a single cooling passage interconnection loop. A single pressurized cooling fluid supply can be fluidly coupled to all of the cooling passage loops, or multiple separate pressurized cooling fluid supplies can be used, each supply fluidly coupled to one or more of the cooling passage loops. In embodiments that do not use the cooling feed passage 120, the pre-impingement cooling fluid 108 can be fed through multiple feed tubes 122 into the interconnection loop 124 of the cooling passages 126.

[0055] Referring again to Figures 5-10 During normal operation (e.g., in the absence of partial or complete breaches in the outer wall 106 of the component 102), no flow of cooling fluid 128 through the independent cooling loop 100 as the interconnection loop 124 of the cooling passages 126 is embedded and fully enclosed within the outer wall 106 and does not include an outlet for the cooling fluid 128. However, as Figure 10As shown, in response to the formation of the partial or full wall breach 96 in the outer wall 106 of the component 102, at least a portion of the cooling passages 126 in the outer wall 106 of the component 102 can become exposed, providing an outlet for the cooling fluid 128. In this regard, the cooling fluid 128 can now flow through the cooling passages 126 that are exposed by the wall breach 96. In particular, the cooling fluid 128 can flow through the cooling passages 126 of the coolant feed passage 120, the plurality of feed tubes 122, and the interconnecting circuit 124 to and from the cooling passages 126 that are exposed by the wall breach 96. The cooling fluid 128 ultimately flows out of the cooling passages 126 that are exposed by the breach 96 to the exterior of the component 102. Generally, the flow rate of the cooling fluid 128 increases in the passages closest to the breach 96. The flow of the cooling fluid 128 provides additional cooling to the component 102 in the area adjacent to the wall breach 96, independent of any cooling provided by the impingement cooling arrangement 104. The additional cooling provided by the cooling fluid 128 can, for example, reduce or prevent additional spalling from occurring in the area of the breach 96. This can prevent the breach 96 from increasing in size and can extend the operational life of the component 102.

[0056] The independent cooling system 100 includes a single pressurized supply of cooling fluid 128, a plurality of coolant feed passages 120, a plurality of intersections 130 connecting the interconnecting circuit 124 of cooling passages 126, and a plurality of feed tubes 122. Another embodiment of an independent cooling circuit 200 is depicted in Figures 11-13 (incorporated by reference in its entirety). The independent cooling circuit 200 includes a plurality (e.g., two in this example) of independent circuits 202, 204 of cooling passages 206, 208 embedded within the outer wall 106 of the component 102 of the gas turbine system 10 Figure 1 , respectively, and a plurality (e.g., two in this example) of pressurized supplies of cooling fluid 210, 212. According to embodiments, the supplies of cooling fluid 210, 212 can be independent of one another and can be provided by one or more sources of cooling fluid (e.g., by tapping different portions of air discharged by the compressor section 12 of the gas turbine system 10, by reusing the cooling fluid 108, etc.).

[0057] As shown, the circuits 202, 204 of cooling passages 206, 208 can be interwoven such that the cooling passages 206, 208 are staggered at right angles to form a weave 214 of cooling passages 206, 208. Each of the supplies of cooling fluid 210, 212 can be fluidly coupled to a respective circuit 202, 204 of cooling passages 206, 208. Each of the circuits 202, 204 of cooling passages 206, 208 is completely enclosed within the outer wall 106 of the component 102 such that none of the cooling passages 206, 208 extend to or are exposed at the outer surface 132 of the outer wall 106 of the component 102.

[0058] The circuit 202 of the cooling passages 206 is fluidly coupled to a first set of coolant feed passages 216 via a plurality of feed tubes 218 (although this is not always required depending on the application). A supply of cooling fluid 210 is directed into the first set of cooling passages 216. Similarly, the circuit 204 of the cooling passages 208 is fluidly coupled to a second set of coolant feed passages 220 via a plurality of feed tubes 222. A supply of cooling fluid 212 is directed into the second set of cooling passages 220. These two sets of coolant feed passages 216, 220 can be attached to, formed as part of, or formed within the impingement plate 114 in the component 102, or provided in any other suitable manner. Neither of the circuits 202, 204 of the cooling passages 206, 208 includes an outlet for the supply of cooling fluids 210, 212.

[0059] As in the embodiment shown in Figures 5-10 The impingement cooling system 104 can be provided to cool the outer wall 106 of the component 102. To provide impingement cooling, a supply of cooling fluid 108 is directed into the internal cavity 110 of the component 102 during operation of the gas turbine system 10 (see, e.g., Figure 5 ). The cooling fluid 108 flows from the internal cavity 110 through a plurality of impingement holes 112 (e.g., formed in the impingement plate 114), into the impingement cavity 118, and against the inner surface 116 of the outer wall 106 of the component 102.

[0060] Unlike the cooling passages 126 of the interconnecting circuit 124 described above with respect to Figures 5-10 , some or all of the cooling passages 206, 208 in the circuits 202, 204 of the independent cooling circuits 200 can have a non-linear configuration (e.g., a zigzag configuration, a sinusoidal configuration, etc., as shown). For example, as Figures 11-13 depicted, the cooling passages 206 can zigzag within the outer wall 106 between the feed tubes 218 in a first direction, while the cooling passages 208 can zigzag within the outer wall 106 between the feed tubes 220 in a second direction perpendicular to the cooling passages 206, such that the cooling passages 206, 208 are staggered at right angles. As a result, the distance between the cooling passages 206, 208 and the outer surface 132 of the outer wall 106 can vary.

[0061] During normal operation (e.g., when there are no partial or complete gaps in the outer wall 106 of component 102), there is no flow of cooling fluid 210, 212 through any of the loops 202, 204 of the cooling channels 206, 208 of the independent cooling circuit 200, because the loops 202, 204 of the cooling channels 206, 208 are embedded and completely enclosed within the outer wall 106 and do not include outlets for cooling fluid 210, 212.

[0062] When there is a partial or complete wall gap 96 (see example) Figure 10 When a cooling channel 206 appears in the outer wall 106, at least a portion of one or more of the cooling channels 206, 208 in the outer wall 106 of component 102 may become exposed. The exposure of one or more of the cooling channels 206 in circuit 202 creates an outlet for cooling fluid 210. Therefore, cooling fluid 210 can now flow through coolant inlet channel 216, inlet pipe 218, and cooling channel 206, flowing towards (and away from) the cooling channel 206 exposed by wall notch 96. Similarly, the exposure of one or more of the cooling channels 208 in circuit 204 creates an outlet for cooling fluid 212. Cooling fluid 212 can now flow through coolant inlet channel 220, inlet pipe 222, and cooling channel 208, flowing towards (and away from) the cooling channel 208 exposed by wall notch 96. Cooling fluid 210 will flow through circuit 202 of cooling channel 206 only in response to the exposure of one or more of the cooling channels 206. Similarly, cooling fluid 212 will flow through the loop 204 of cooling channel 208 only in response to the exposure of one or more of the cooling channels 208. To this extent, one or both of the loops 202, 204 of cooling channels 206, 208 may be activated depending on which cooling channel(s) 206, 208 has been exposed by the wall notch 96.

[0063] Cooling fluids 210 and / or 212 provide additional cooling to component 102 in the region adjacent to wall notch 96 via the flow of independent cooling circuit 200, independent of any cooling provided by the impingement cooling arrangement 104. This additional cooling provided by cooling fluids 210 and / or 212 can, for example, reduce or prevent additional spalling in the region of notch 96. This can prevent the size of notch 96 from increasing and can extend the operational life of component 102.

[0064] The non-linear configuration of the cooling channels 206, 208 provides a longer flow path within the outer wall 106 of the component 102, which can enhance heat transfer to the cooling fluids 210, 212 and enhance the cooling effectiveness of the independent cooling circuit 200. Additionally, in response to the formation of the shallower / smaller breach 96, portions of the cooling channels 206, 208 that are positioned closer to the outer surface 132 of the outer wall 106 of the component 102 can become exposed. Thus, the independent cooling circuit 200 can activate in response to a spallation event more quickly than the independent cooling circuit 100 that has a planar configuration.

[0065] Figures 14-17 Another embodiment of an independent cooling circuit 300 is depicted (with reference to FIG. 3). Similar to the independent cooling circuit 200, the independent cooling circuit 300 includes multiple (e.g., three in this example) independent circuits 302, 304, 306 of cooling channels 308, 310, 312 embedded within the outer wall 106 of the component 102 of the gas turbine system 10 Figure 1 ) respectively, and multiple (e.g., three in this example) pressurized supplies of cooling fluids 314, 316, 318. According to embodiments, the supplies of cooling fluids 314, 316, 318 can be independent of one another and can be provided by one or more sources of cooling fluid (e.g., by tapping different portions of air discharged by the compressor section 12 of the gas turbine system 10, by reusing the cooling fluid 108, etc.).

[0066] As shown, each of the circuits 302, 304, 306 of cooling channels 308, 310, 312 can be arranged in a grid-like pattern and can be interwoven together to form a weave 320 of cooling channels 308, 310, 312 within the outer wall 106 of the component 102. According to embodiments, the circuits 302, 304 of cooling channels 308, 310 are staggered at a right angle to one another, while the circuit 306 of cooling channels 312 is staggered at an acute angle (e.g., about 45 degrees) relative to both of the circuits 302, 304 of cooling channels 308, 310. Thus, the circuit 306 of cooling channels 312 is diagonally offset relative to the circuits 302, 304 of cooling channels 308, 310.

[0067] Each of the supplies of cooling fluids 314, 316, 318 can be fluidly coupled to a respective circuit 302, 304, 306 of cooling channels 308, 310, 312. Each of the circuits 302, 304, 306 of cooling channels 308, 310, 312 is completely enclosed within the outer wall 106 of the component 102 such that none of the cooling channels 308, 310, 312 extend to or are exposed at the outer surface 132 of the outer wall 106 of the component 102.

[0068] The circuit 302 of the cooling passages 308 is fluidly coupled to a first set of coolant feed passages 322 via a plurality of feed tubes 324 (only a portion of the coolant feed passages 322 is shown in dashed lines for clarity). A supply of cooling fluid 314 is directed into the first set of cooling passages 322. Similarly, the circuits 304, 306 of the cooling passages 310, 312 are fluidly coupled to a second set of coolant feed passages 326 and a third set of coolant feed passages 328 via a plurality of feed tubes 330, 332, respectively (only a portion of the coolant feed passages 326, 328 is shown in dashed lines for clarity). A supply of cooling fluids 316, 318 is directed into the second and third sets of cooling passages 322, 326, respectively. The three sets of coolant feed passages 322, 326, 328 can be attached to, formed as part of, or within the impingement plate 114 in the component 102, or provided in any other suitable manner. None of the circuits 302, 304, 306 of the cooling passages 308, 310, 312 include an outlet for the supply of cooling fluids 314, 316, 318.

[0069] As in the foregoing embodiments, the impingement cooling system 104 can be provided to cool the outer wall 106 of the component 102. To provide impingement cooling, a supply of cooling fluid 108 is directed into the internal cavity 110 of the component 102 during operation of the gas turbine system 10 (see, e.g., Figure 5 ). The cooling fluid 108 flows from the internal cavity 110 through a plurality of impingement holes 112 (e.g., formed in the impingement plate 114), into the impingement cavity 118, and against the inner surface 116 of the outer wall 106 of the component 102.

[0070] According to embodiments, some or all of the cooling passages 308, 310, 312 in the circuits 302, 304, 306 of the independent cooling circuits 300 can have a non-linear configuration (e.g., a zigzag configuration, a sinusoidal configuration, etc., as shown). Thus, the distance between the cooling passages 308, 310, 312 and the outer surface 132 of the outer wall 106 can vary.

[0071] During normal operation (e.g., in the absence of partial or complete wall breaches in the outer wall 106 of the component 102), there is no flow of cooling fluid 314, 316, 318 through any of the circuits 302, 304, 306 of the cooling passages 310, 312, 314 of the independent cooling circuits 300, as the circuits 302, 304, 306 of the cooling passages 310, 312, 314 are embedded and fully enclosed within the outer wall 106, and do not include an outlet for the cooling fluid 314, 316, 318.

[0072] When a partial or complete wall breach 96 (see, e.g., Figure 10) When present in the outer wall 106 of the component 102, at least a portion of one or more of the cooling passages 308, 310, 312 in the outer wall 106 can become exposed. The exposure of one or more of the cooling passages 310 in the circuit 302 creates an outlet for the cooling fluid 314. Thus, the cooling fluid 314 can now flow through the coolant feed passage 322, the feed tube 324, and the cooling passage 308, to (and away from) the cooling passage 308 exposed by the wall gap 96. The cooling fluid 314 will flow through the circuit 302 of the cooling passage 308 only in response to the exposure of one or more of the cooling passages 308. The exposure of one or more of the cooling passages 310 in the circuit 304 creates an outlet for the cooling fluid 316. The cooling fluid 316 can now flow through the coolant feed passage 326, the feed tube 330, and the cooling passage 310, to (and away from) the cooling passage 310 exposed by the wall gap 96. The cooling fluid 316 will flow through the circuit 304 of the cooling passage 310 only in response to the exposure of one or more of the cooling passages 310. The exposure of one or more of the cooling passages 312 in the circuit 306 creates an outlet for the cooling fluid 318. The cooling fluid 318 can now flow through the coolant feed passage 328, the feed tube 332, and the cooling passage 312, to (and away from) the cooling passage 312 exposed by the wall gap 96. The cooling fluid 318 will flow through the circuit 306 of the cooling passage 312 only in response to the exposure of one or more of the cooling passages 312. To this extent, one, two, or all three of the circuits 302, 304, 306 of the cooling passages 308, 310, 312 can be activated depending on which cooling passage(s) 308, 310, 312 has been exposed by the wall gap 96.

[0073] The flow of the cooling fluids 314, 316, and / or 318 via the independent cooling circuit 300 provides additional cooling of the component 102 in the area adjacent to the wall gap 96, independent of any cooling provided by the impingement cooling arrangement 104. The additional cooling provided by the cooling fluids 314, 316, and / or 318 can, for example, reduce or prevent additional spalling from occurring in the area of the gap 96. This can prevent the gap 96 from increasing in size and can extend the operational life of the component 102.

[0074] The non-linear configuration of cooling channels 308, 310, and 312 provides a longer flow path within the outer wall 106 of component 102, which enhances heat transfer to cooling fluids 314, 316, and 318 and improves the cooling effectiveness of the independent cooling circuit 300. Furthermore, in response to the formation of a shallower / smaller notch 96, portions of cooling channels 308, 310, and 312 positioned closer to the outer surface 132 of the outer wall 106 of component 102 can become exposed. Therefore, the independent cooling circuit 300 can be activated more quickly in response to a spalling event than the independent cooling circuit 100 with a planar configuration.

[0075] Will Figure 16 and Figure 8 and Figure 11 By comparison, it can be seen that the independent cooling circuit 300 can provide a higher density of cooling channels in the outer wall 106 of component 102 than any of the independent cooling circuits 100 and 200 (e.g., due to the diagonal offset of the circuit 306 of cooling channel 312). The higher density can improve the cooling effectiveness of the independent cooling circuit 300.

[0076] In independent cooling circuits 100, 200, and 300, the supply source of cooling fluid can be provided independently of the main supply source of cooling fluid (e.g., the supply source of cooling fluid 108 for impact cooling) to limit any reduction in backflow margin (BFM) in the event that a large area of ​​cooling channels becomes exposed due to a spalling event. BFM is defined as the pressure of the cooling fluid inside component 102 of the gas turbine system 10 relative to the pressure of the combustion gas 22 outside component 102. Figure 1 The difference in local pressure between the components. Advantageously, by providing multiple interlaced loops (where the cooling channel loops are independent of each other) of cooling channels in independent cooling circuits 200, 300, combinations of cooling fluid sources can be obtained depending on the application. For example, all cooling channel loops in independent cooling circuits 200, 300 may be fed from compressed air generated by the compressor section 12 of the gas turbine 10, and all cooling channel loops in independent cooling circuits 200, 300 may reuse cooling fluid from the main cooling circuit in component 102 (e.g., cooling fluid 108 for shock cooling in shock cooling arrangement 104), or some combination of such sources. In the combined case, a spalling event can allow additional cooling in the main cooling circuit while limiting the reduction in internal pressure.

[0077] Figure 17 It shows Figures 14-16 The modified independent cooling circuit 300 described utilizes a combination of cooling fluid sources. Figure 17The independent cooling circuit 300' in the component 102 operates similarly to the previously described independent cooling circuit 300. Specifically, the circuits 302, 306 of the cooling passages 308, 312 are fluidly coupled to a supply of the cooling fluid 314, 318 via the feed tubes 324, 332 and operate as described above. However, unlike the independent cooling circuit 300, the circuit 304 of the cooling passage 310 in the independent cooling circuit 300' is fluidly coupled to the impingement cavity 118 and a supply of the cooling fluid 108 via a plurality of openings 334 formed in the outer wall 106 of the component 102. When the wall cutout 96 in the outer wall 106 exposes at least a portion of one or more of the cooling passages 310, the cooling fluid 108 can now flow from the impingement cavity 118 through the openings 334 into the circuit 304 of the cooling passage 310, to (and away from) the cooling passage 310 exposed by the wall cutout 96. In this way, the cooling fluid 108 used for impingement cooling is reused by the independent cooling circuit 300'.

[0078] The various components and features of the independent cooling circuits 100, 200, 300, 300' of the present disclosure can be formed using an additive manufacturing process. Advantageously, additive manufacturing enables the design and production of more customizable and complex features.

[0079] As used herein, additive manufacturing can include any process of producing an article by successive layering of material rather than removing material (as is the case with conventional processes). Additive manufacturing can form complex geometries without the need to use any kind of tooling, molds, or fixtures, and with little or no waste of material. Rather than machining a component from a solid plastic or metal billet (where much of it is cut away and discarded), only the material needed to shape the part is used in additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing processes can include, but are not limited to, 3D printing, rapid prototyping (RP), direct digital manufacturing (DDM), binder jetting, selective laser melting (SLM), and direct metal laser melting (DMLM). In the current setting, DMLM or SLM has been found to be advantageous.

[0080] To illustrate an example of an additive manufacturing process, Figure 18A schematic / block diagram of an illustrative computerized additive manufacturing system 400 for generating an article 402 is shown. In this example, the system 400 is arranged for DMLM, although it should be understood that the general teachings of the present disclosure are equally applicable to other forms of additive manufacturing. The AM system 400 generally includes a computerized additive manufacturing (AM) control system 404 and an AM printer 406. The AM system 400 executes code 420, which includes a set of computer-executable instructions defining the article 402, to physically generate the article 402 using the AM printer 406. Each AM process can use different raw materials in the form of, for example, fine-grained powder, liquid (e.g., polymer), sheet, etc., which can be held in a reservoir 410 of the AM printer 406. Depending on the embodiment, the article 402 can be made of a metal or metal compound capable of withstanding the environment of the gas turbine system 10 (see Figure 1 ) (see FIG. 1). As shown, an applicator 412 can form a thin layer of the raw material 414, which spreads out as a blank canvas on a build plate 444 of the AM printer 406 from which each successive slice of the final article will be formed. In other cases, the applicator 412 can apply or print the next layer directly onto the previous layer as defined by the code 420. In the example shown, a laser or electron beam melts the particles of each slice as defined by the code 420. Various parts of the AM printer 406 can move to accommodate the addition of each new layer, e.g., after each layer, the build platform 418 can lower, and / or the reservoir 410 and / or applicator 412 can raise.

[0081] The AM control system 404 is shown as implemented on a computer 430 as computer program code. In this regard, the computer 430 is shown as including a memory 432, a processor 434, an input / output (I / O) interface 436, and a bus 438. Further, the computer 430 is shown in communication with external I / O devices / resources 440 and a storage system 442. Generally, the processor 434 executes computer program code stored in the memory 432 and / or the storage system 442, such as the AM control system 404, under instructions from the code 420 representative of the article 402. The code 420 can be stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of the memory 432, the storage system 442, etc.

[0082] The additive manufacturing process begins with a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (e.g., the memory 432, the storage system 442, etc.) storing the code 420 representative of the article 402. For example, the code 420 can include an exact definition of a 3D model of the article 402 and can be generated by any of a variety of well-known computer-aided design (CAD) software systems. The AM control system 404 executes the code 420 to divide the article 402 into a series of thin slices that are assembled using the AM printer 406 in successive layers of liquid, powder, sheet, or other material.

[0083] Additive manufacturing (AM) processes can be used (e.g., using AM system 400, Figure 18 To generate various components of the gas turbine system 10 ( Figure 1 (or portions thereof) of such components. For example, at least a portion of the outer wall of a component including a cooling channel interconnection loop can be produced via an AM process.

[0084] exist Figure 19 In, for example, it has already been produced via AM process (e.g., printed). Figure 5 The wall specimen block 500 of component 102 depicted in Figure 10 is included. The wall specimen block 500 includes a section 502 of the outer wall 106 of component 102. At least a portion of the interconnecting loops 124 of the cooling channels 126 is embedded within the wall section 502. The wall specimen block 500 also includes a plurality of feed pipes 122 fluidly connected to the cooling channels 126. To this extent, the wall specimen block 500 forms part of the independent cooling circuit 100 as described above.

[0085] According to the implementation scheme, the wall sample block 500 can be produced in any size via AM process and can be attached to another section 504 of component 102 to form at least a portion of independent cooling circuit 100 (see, for example, Figure 20 Section 504 of component 102 can be formed in a conventional manner (e.g., machining, casting, etc.) or using an AM process. It should be noted that the wall sample block 500 can be configured for use in any of the independent cooling circuits 100, 200, 300, 300' described herein. Attachment can be achieved, for example, using brazing, fusion welding, or other suitable metal joining processes. Figure 20 A wall specimen block 500 is depicted, which is attached (e.g., via brazing / welding) to the impact plate 114 of component 102 to form at least a portion of an independent cooling circuit 100. In other embodiments, Figure 20 The entire cooling structure depicted can be formed using AM technology and can be attached to a part of component 102 of the gas turbine system 10.

[0086] Independent cooling circuits 100 formed using AM-printed wall specimen blocks 500 can be strategically placed in areas of the gas turbine system 10 component 102 that may be subject to spalling. This can be done, for example, without having to use an AM process to produce the entire component 102. Furthermore, independent cooling circuits 100 formed using AM-printed wall specimen blocks 500 can be adapted to existing components 102 of the gas turbine system 10 to repair previously spalled areas and / or selectively provide enhanced cooling to spalled areas of the component 102 as described above.

[0087] When using AM processes to create independent cooling circuits 100, 200, 300, 300' (or portions thereof), the removal of excess powder can be problematic. Because the independent cooling circuits 100, 200, 300, 300' do not have outlets for the cooling fluid 128 (e.g., the circuits are intentionally closed), there is no easy way to attempt to remove excess powder using forced air.

[0088] According to the implementation plan, such as Figure 21 and Figure 22 The wall sample block 500 (described and referenced in the text) produced using the AM process is shown in the figure. Figure 19 and Figure 20 As described, a plurality of small openings 600 for powder removal can be provided in the outer wall section 502 of the wall sample block 500 (e.g., formed during the AM process). Figure 19 and Figure 20 In, for example, opening 600 is shown as extending from the interconnecting loop 124 of the cooling channel 126 of the independent cooling loop 100 through the outer wall section 502 to the outer surface 132 of the wall sample block 500.

[0089] Opening 600 provides an outlet for removing excess powder. Powder can be removed, for example, by vibration or by forcing air into the interconnecting loops 124 of cooling channel 126 and out through opening 600. After powder removal, opening 600 can be filled / sealed in any suitable manner (e.g., with metal, sealant, etc.) to close the independent cooling loop 100. Opening 600 can be filled / sealed before applying a TBC coating to the outer surface 132 of the wall sample block 500, or simply sealed by the TBC coating itself. In some cases, a spalling event may unseal some openings in sealing opening 600 before any interconnecting loops in the interconnecting loops 124 of cooling channel 126 are exposed due to the formation of a gap. Cooling fluid 128 can then flow to and out of the unsealed opening 600 via the independent cooling loop 100, thus providing immediate cooling benefits.

[0090] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that, when used in the specification, the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising” specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0091] This written description uses examples to disclose the application, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the application, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the application is defined by the claims, and can include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

Claims

1. A stand-alone cooling circuit for selectively delivering a cooling fluid to a component of a gas turbine system, the stand-alone cooling circuit comprising: a plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits embedded within an outer wall of the component, wherein the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits are interleaved together; a strike plate; and a plurality of feed tubes connecting the strike plate to the outer wall of the component and fluidly coupling each of the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits to at least one cooling fluid supply, wherein, in each of the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits, the cooling fluid flows through the plurality of feed tubes into the stand-alone cooling channel circuit only in response to a breach in the outer wall of the component that exposes at least one of the cooling channels of the stand-alone cooling channel circuit.

2. The stand-alone cooling circuit of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling fluid supply comprises a plurality of stand-alone cooling fluid supplies, each supply providing cooling fluid to at least one of the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits.

3. The stand-alone cooling circuit of claim 2, wherein the plurality of stand-alone cooling fluid supplies comprises a supply of re-used cooling fluid.

4. The stand-alone cooling circuit of claim 3, wherein the re-used cooling fluid comprises post-impact cooling fluid, the stand-alone cooling circuit further comprising a plurality of openings in an inner surface of the outer wall for directing the post-impact cooling fluid from an impact cavity in the component to at least one of the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits.

5. The stand-alone cooling circuit of claim 1, wherein cooling channels of a first and a second of the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits are interleaved at a right angle with respect to each other.

6. The stand-alone cooling circuit of claim 5, wherein cooling channels of a third of the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits are interleaved at an acute angle with respect to the cooling channels of the first and the second of the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits. In each of the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits, each cooling channel extends between and is fluidly coupled to a plurality of the feed tubes.

7. The independent cooling circuit of claim 1, wherein, 8. The stand-alone cooling circuit of claim 7, wherein at least one cooling channel of at least one of the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits extends non-linearly between a plurality of the feed tubes such that a distance between the at least one cooling channel and an outer surface of the outer wall of the component varies.

9. The stand-alone cooling circuit of claim 1, wherein the cooling channels of a first of the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits extend between a plurality of the feed tubes in a first direction and the cooling channels of a second of the plurality of stand-alone cooling channel circuits extend between a plurality of the feed tubes in a second, different direction. ​ 10. The independent cooling circuit of claim 1, further comprising a wall coupon formed using an additive manufacturing process, the wall coupon comprising a section of the outer wall of the component and the plurality of feed tubes, wherein the plurality of independent cooling channel circuits are embedded within the section of the outer wall.

11. The independent cooling circuit of claim 10, wherein the wall coupon comprises a plurality of powder removal openings extending from at least one of the plurality of independent cooling channel circuits to an outer surface of the section of the outer wall.

12. A cooling system, comprising: a component of a gas turbine system; and an independent cooling circuit for selectively delivering a cooling fluid to the component of a gas turbine system, the independent cooling circuit comprising: a plurality of independent cooling channel circuits embedded within an outer wall of the component, wherein the plurality of independent cooling channel circuits are interleaved together; a strike plate; and a plurality of feed tubes connecting the strike plate to the outer wall of the component and fluidly coupling each of the plurality of independent cooling channel circuits to at least one cooling fluid supply, wherein, in each of the plurality of independent cooling channel circuits, the cooling fluid flows through the plurality of feed tubes into the independent cooling channel circuit only in response to a breach in the outer wall of the component exposing at least one of the cooling channels of the independent cooling channel circuit.

13. The cooling system of claim 12, wherein the at least one cooling fluid supply comprises a plurality of independent cooling fluid supplies, each supply providing cooling fluid to at least one of the plurality of independent cooling channel circuits.

14. The cooling system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of independent cooling fluid supplies comprises a supply of re-used cooling fluid.

15. The cooling system of claim 12, wherein the cooling channels of a first and second of the plurality of independent cooling channel circuits are staggered at a right angle with respect to each other.

16. The cooling system of claim 15, wherein the cooling channels of a third of the plurality of independent cooling channel circuits are staggered at an acute angle with respect to the cooling channels of the first and second of the plurality of independent cooling channel circuits.

17. The cooling system of claim 12, wherein at least one cooling channel of at least one of the plurality of independent cooling channel circuits extends non-linearly between a plurality of the feed tubes such that a distance between the at least one cooling channel and an outer surface of the outer wall of the component varies.

18. The cooling system of claim 12, further comprising a wall coupon formed using an additive manufacturing process, the wall coupon comprising a section of the outer wall of the component and the plurality of feed tubes, wherein the plurality of independent cooling channel loops are embedded within the section of the outer wall, the wall coupon further comprising a plurality of powder removal openings extending from at least one of the independent cooling channel loops to an outer surface of the section of the outer wall.

19. A method for reducing spallation-related damage to a component of a gas turbine system, the method comprising: embedding an independent cooling system in the component, wherein the independent cooling system comprises: a plurality of independent cooling channel loops embedded within an outer wall of the component, wherein the plurality of independent cooling channel loops are interwoven together; an impingement plate; and a plurality of feed tubes connecting the impingement plate to the outer wall of the component and fluidly coupling each of the plurality of independent cooling channel loops to at least one cooling fluid supply; and directing a flow of cooling fluid into at least one of the plurality of independent cooling channel loops in response only to a breach in the outer wall of the component exposing a portion of the at least one of the plurality of independent cooling channel loops.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: providing an independent cooling fluid supply to each of the plurality of independent cooling channel loops.

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