Embodiments of the invention relate generally to rotary machines and, more particularly, to the cooling of at least portions of a
turbine bucket. In one embodiment, the invention provides a method of cooling at least a portion of a
turbine bucket, the method comprising: during operation of a
turbine, altering a swirl velocity of purge air beneath a platform lip extending axially from the platform, wherein altering the swirl velocity of the purge air includes interrupting a flow of the purge air with a plurality of voids disposed along a length of an
angel wing extending axially from a face of a shank portion of the turbine bucket.