What usage is the delta defined in the polynomial hierarchy?
The polynomial hierarchy is an analog of the arithmetical hierarchy in recursion theory, which also has $\Sigma,\Pi,\Delta$, and several other hierarchies also have $\Delta$ terms.

The usage is exactly the same as the usage of $\Sigma_i^P$ and $\Pi_i^P$. For a given problem, you try to find its exact location in the polynomial hierarchy. If a problem is in $\Delta_i^P$ then it can't be $\Sigma_{i+1}^P$-hard (unless the polynomial hierarchy collapses), but perhaps it is $\Delta_i^P$-hard. So you might need these classes for some problems.