Combustion turbine including a diffuser section with cooling fluid passageways and associated methods

1. A combustion turbine comprising:

a compressor section, a combustion section downstream from said compressor section, and a turbine section downstream from said combustion section; and

a diffuser section downstream from said turbine section and comprising an outer wall, an inner wall, and at least one strut member extending therebetween;

said outer wall having at least one first gas passageway therein;

said inner wall having at least one second gas passageway therein;

said at least one strut member having left and right hand sides and a plurality of third gas passageways in said at least one strut member with at least one third gas passageway on each of the left and right hand sides of the at least one strut member;

the at least one first, second and third gas passageways delivering gas therethrough to assist attachment of a boundary layer to adjacent surfaces of said outer wall, said inner wall and said at least one strut, respectively, and the at least one left hand side third gas passageway and the at least one right hand side third gas passageway being selectively operable to provide different amounts of gas flow on the left and right hand sides of said at least one strut member.

2. A combustion turbine according to claim 1 wherein said diffusion section further comprises at least one valve for selectively controlling a flow of gas to at least one of the first, second and third gas passageways.

3. A combustion turbine according to claim 2 wherein said diffusion section further comprises a controller for controlling said at least one valve.

4. A combustion turbine according to claim 3 wherein said diffusion section further comprises at least one pressure sensor; and wherein said controller controls said at least one valve based upon said at least one pressure sensor.

5. A combustion turbine according to claim 3 wherein said controller controls said at least one valve based upon stored control values.

6. A combustion turbine according to claim 1 wherein the at least one first gas passageway comprises a plurality of first gas passageways.

7. A combustion turbine according to claim 1 wherein the at least one second gas passageway comprises a plurality of second gas passageways.

8. A combustion turbine according to claim 1 further comprising a gas source coupled in fluid communication with the at least one first, second and third gas passageways.

9. A diffusion section for a combustion turbine comprising:

an outer wall, an inner wall, and at least one strut member extending therebetween;

said outer wall having at least one first gas passageway therein;

said inner wall having at least one second gas passageway therein;

said at least one strut member having at least one left and right hand sides and a plurality of third gas passageways in said at least one strut member with at least one third gas passageway on each of the left and right hand sides of the at least one strut member;

the at least one first, second and third gas passageways delivering gas therethrough to assist attachment of a boundary layer to adjacent surfaces of said outer wall, said inner wall, and said at least one strut, respectively, and the at least one left hand side third gas passageway and the at least one right hand side third gas passageway being selectively operable to provide different amounts of gas flow on the left and right hand sides of said at least one strut member.

10. A diffusion section according to claim 9 further comprising at least one valve for selectively controlling a flow of gas to at least one of the first, second and third gas passageways.

11. A diffusion section according to claim 10 further comprising a controller for controlling said at least one valve.

12. A diffusion section according to claim 11 further comprising at least one pressure sensor; and wherein said controller controls said at least one valve based upon said at least one pressure sensor.

13. A diffusion section according to claim 11 wherein said controller controls said at least one valve based upon stored control values.

14. A method of making a diffusion section for a combustion turbine so that surfaces of the diffusion section have enhanced attachment of a boundary layer adjacent thereto, the diffusion section comprising an outer wall, an inner wall, and at least one strut member extending therebetween, the method comprising:

forming at least one first gas passageway in the outer wall;

forming at least one second gas passageway in the inner wall;

forming a plurality of third gas passageways in the at least one strut member with at least one third gas passageway on each of left and right hand sides of the at least one strut member; and

configuring the at least one first, second, and third gas passageways to deliver gas therethrough to thereby provide enhanced attachment of a boundary layer to adjacent surfaces of the diffusion section, and configuring the at least one left hand side third gas passageway and the at least one right hand side third gas passageway to be selectively operable to provide different amounts of gas flow on the left and right hand sides of the at least one strut member.

15. A method according to claim 14 further comprising selectively controlling a flow of gas to at least one of the first, second and third gas passageways using at least one valve.

16. A method according to claim 15 further comprising positioning at least one pressure sensor in the diffusion section; and wherein selectively controlling the flow of gas comprises selectively controlling the flow of gas based upon the at least one pressure sensor.

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein selectively controlling the flow of gas comprises selectively controlling the flow of gas based upon stored control values.