Turbine shroud segments are exposed to hot gases and, thus, require cooling. Cooling air is typically bled off from the compressor section, thereby reducing the amount of energy that can be used for the primary purposed of proving trust. It is thus desirable to minimize the amount of air bleed of from other systems to perform cooling. Various methods of cooling the turbine shroud segments are currently in use and include impingement cooling through a baffle plate, convection cooling through long EDM holes and film cooling.
Although each of these methods have proven adequate in most situations, advancements in gas turbine engines have resulted in increased temperatures and more extreme operating conditions for those parts exposed to the hot gas flow.