Patent ID: 7635250

Claim:
An apparatus for routing fluid in a steam turbine, the steam turbine having a first stage comprising a plurality of buckets secured to a rotor, the rotor being configured to rotate in response to a first volume of fluid flowing from an inlet passageway past the plurality of buckets, the apparatus comprising: a member having a fluid passageway extending therethrough, a first end of the fluid passageway being in fluid communication with a discharge side of the first stage of the steam turbine, wherein a second volume of fluid comprising a portion of the first volume of fluid is received into the fluid passageway at the discharge side of the first stage and is discharged out of an outlet of the fluid passageway, the outlet being disposed in a region between an upstream side of the first stage and a sealing member disposed against the rotor, the region receiving a third volume of leakage fluid from the upstream side of the first stage, the third volume of leakage fluid flowing in a direction opposite to the first volume of fluid; and wherein the second volume of fluid discharged out of the outlet both reduces the third volume of leakage fluid entering the region and increases the first volume of fluid flowing past the plurality of buckets to increase an amount of torque of the rotor.