Patent ID: 7604456

Claim:
A combustion turbine vane array comprising: a plurality of elongated airfoils including at least a first airfoil and a second airfoil located adjacent to each other; a shroud portion defining an inner face extending laterally from said first airfoil to said second airfoil and extending longitudinally from a leading edge of said first airfoil to a trailing edge of said first airfoil, said inner face defining an annular boundary of a gas path directing a flow of a working gas through a turbine casing, and said inner face comprising a face surface facing radially inwardly toward the gas path, wherein said shroud portion forms an integral structure with said first airfoil; and an insert element extending from said first airfoil to said second airfoil and positioned in engagement on said face surface of said inner face of said shroud portion between said first and second airfoils, and defining a surface for contacting the working gas passing through said turbine vane array and an opposite surface engaging said inner face from said leading edge of said first airfoil to said trailing edge of said first airfoil.