Insert system for an airfoil and method of installing same

1. An insert system for an airfoil, wherein the airfoil includes a plenum that extends into an aft portion of the airfoil, wherein the plenum includes a plenum inlet, and wherein an entirety of the plenum inlet is defined axially forward of the aft portion, said insert system comprising:

a first insert comprising a first neck portion, said first insert sized for insertion into the plenum radially through the plenum inlet, wherein said first insert is movable aftward within the plenum into an installed position such that said first neck portion is positioned aftward in the plenum inlet; and

a second insert sized for insertion into the plenum radially through the plenum inlet forward of said first neck portion in the installed position, wherein said first insert and said second insert comprise a plurality of impingement openings defined therein.

2. The insert system of claim 1 , wherein said second insert comprises a second neck portion configured to be positioned in the plenum inlet forward of said first neck portion in the installed position.

3. The insert system of claim 1 , wherein the airfoil includes a radially outer wall and the plenum inlet is defined in the radially outer wall, wherein said first neck portion comprises a first insert inlet opening, and wherein said first insert further comprises a first flange extending outwardly from a perimeter of said first insert inlet opening and configured to interface with the radially outer wall of the airfoil.

4. The insert system of claim 1 , wherein said first insert further comprises a first forward wall and said second insert further comprises an aft wall, said insert system further comprising a sealing mechanism extending between said aft wall and said first forward wall.

5. The insert system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first insert and said second insert includes at least one support member spanning an interior cavity of said at least one of said first insert and said second insert.

6. The insert system of claim 1 , wherein said first insert further comprises a first forward wall and said second insert further comprises an aft wall, and wherein a bypass opening is defined in and extends through said aft wall and said first forward wall.

7. A gas turbine system comprising:

a compressor section;

a combustion system coupled in flow communication with said compressor section; and

a turbine section coupled in flow communication with said combustion system, wherein said turbine section comprises:

an airfoil comprising a plenum that extends into an aft portion of said airfoil, wherein said plenum includes a plenum inlet, and wherein an entirety of said plenum inlet is defined axially forward of said aft portion;

a first insert positioned within said plenum, said first insert comprising a first main body portion extending into said aft portion and a first neck portion positioned aftward in said plenum inlet; and

a second insert positioned within said plenum forward of said first insert, said second insert comprising a second neck portion positioned in said plenum inlet forward of said first neck portion, wherein said first insert and said second insert comprise a plurality of impingement openings defined therein.

8. The gas turbine system of claim 7 , wherein said airfoil further comprises a radially outer wall and said plenum inlet is defined in said radially outer wall, wherein said first neck portion comprises a first insert inlet opening, and wherein said first insert further comprises a first flange extending outwardly from a perimeter of said first insert inlet opening and configured to interface with said radially outer wall.

9. The gas turbine system of claim 7 , wherein said first insert further comprises a first forward wall and said second insert further comprises an aft wall, said gas turbine system further comprising a sealing mechanism extending between said aft wall and said first forward wall.

10. The gas turbine system of claim 7 , wherein said first insert further comprises a first forward wall and said second insert further comprises an aft wall, and wherein a bypass opening is defined in and extends through said aft wall and said first forward wall.

11. The gas turbine system of claim 7 , wherein said gas turbine system further comprises a casing and an aft supporting flange coupled between said casing and said airfoil, and wherein said aft portion extends directly beneath said aft supporting flange.

12. The gas turbine system of claim 7 , wherein said gas turbine system is configured to channel a flow of pressurized bleed air from said compressor section to said plenum inlet.

13. The gas turbine system of claim 7 , wherein said plenum inlet defines a plenum inlet axial length, and said first insert defines a first insert axial length that is less than said plenum inlet axial length.

14. The gas turbine system of claim 13 , wherein said first neck portion defines a first neck axial length, and said second insert defines a second insert axial length that is less than a difference between said plenum inlet axial length and said first neck axial length.

15. The gas turbine system of claim 7 , wherein said airfoil further comprises a trailing edge and an aft pin bank, and said plenum comprises an aft plenum portion located axially between said first insert and said trailing edge, wherein said aft pin bank comprises a plurality of pins extending through said aft plenum portion.

16. A method of installing an insert system into an airfoil, wherein the airfoil includes a plenum that extends into an aft portion of the airfoil, wherein the plenum includes a plenum inlet, and wherein an entirety of the plenum inlet is defined axially forward of the aft portion, said method comprising:

inserting a first insert radially through the plenum inlet into the plenum, wherein the first insert includes a first neck portion and a first main body portion;

moving the first insert aftward within the plenum into an installed position such that the first neck portion is positioned aftward in the plenum inlet and the first main body portion extends into the aft portion; and

inserting a second insert into the plenum radially through the plenum inlet forward of the first neck portion, wherein the first insert and the second insert include a plurality of impingement openings defined therein.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising positioning a second neck portion of the second insert in the plenum inlet forward of the first neck portion.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the airfoil includes a radially outer wall and the plenum inlet is defined in the radially outer wall, wherein the first neck portion includes a first insert inlet opening, and wherein the first insert further includes a first flange extending outwardly from a perimeter of the first insert inlet opening, said method further comprising interfacing the first flange with the radially outer wall of the airfoil.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first insert further includes a first forward wall and the second insert further includes an aft wall, said method further comprising positioning a sealing mechanism between the aft wall and the first forward wall.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first insert further includes a first forward wall having a first notch defined therein, and the second insert further includes an aft wall having a second notch defined therein, said inserting the second insert into the plenum further comprises registering the second notch with the first notch.