Apparatus and method for purging a gas turbine rotor

A rotor wheel 4 for a gas turbine rotor has a first side having a plurality of curved paddles 14 separated by a plurality of curved slots 18 and a second side having a plurality of radial paddles 8 separated by a plurality of radial slots 12. A method of purging a rotor of a gas turbine includes providing a flow of compressed air between adjacent rotor wheels 4 of the rotor in a radially downward direction on a first side of each wheel and in a radially upward direction on a second side of each wheel; passing the flow through a curved slots 18 on the first side of each rotor wheel; and passing the flow through radial slots 12 on the second side of each rotor wheel.