Abstract: An airfoil, and in a disclosed embodiment a rotor blade, has film cooling holes formed at a leading edge. A supplemental film cooling channel is positioned near the leading edge, but spaced toward the trailing edge from the leading edge. The supplemental film cooling channel directs film cooling air onto a suction wall. The supplemental film cooling channel air is generally directed to a location on the suction wall that has raised some challenges in the past. In a disclosed embodiment, the airfoil is provided with a thermal barrier coating, and the supplemental film cooling air protects this thermal barrier coating.

Abstract: An airfoil, and in a disclosed embodiment a rotor blade, has a serpentine cooling path. To best account for the Coriolis effect, the paths of the serpentine cooling channel have trapezoidal cross-sections. An area of the rotor blade between a smaller side of the trapezoidal-shaped paths, and a facing wall of the rotor blade has high thermal and mechanical stresses, and is a challenge to adequately cool. A microcircuit, which is a very thin cooling circuit having crossing pedestals, is embedded into the blade in this area. The microcircuit provides additional cooling, and addresses the challenges with regard to cooling these areas.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine component, such as a high pressure turbine blade, has an airfoil portion, a platform, and micro-circuits within the platform for cooling at least one of a platform edge adjacent the pressure side of the airfoil portion and the trailing edge of the platform. The micro-circuits include a first micro-circuit on a suction side of the airfoil and a second micro-circuit on a pressure side of the airfoil. The micro-circuits within the platform achieve high thermal convective efficiency, high film coverage, and high cooling effectiveness.

Abstract: An airfoil, and in a disclosed embodiment a rotor blade, has film cooling holes formed at a leading edge. A supplemental film cooling channel is positioned near the leading edge, but spaced toward the trailing edge from the leading edge. The supplemental film cooling channel directs film cooling air onto a suction wall. The supplemental film cooling channel air is generally directed to a location on the suction wall that has raised some challenges in the past. In a disclosed embodiment, the airfoil is provided with a thermal barrier coating, and the supplemental film cooling air protects this thermal barrier coating.

Abstract: An airfoil, and in a disclosed embodiment a rotor blade, has a serpentine cooling path. To best account for the Coriolis effect, the paths of the serpentine cooling channel have trapezoidal cross-sections. An area of the rotor blade between a smaller side of the trapezoidal-shaped paths, and a facing wall of the rotor blade has high thermal and mechanical stresses, and is a challenge to adequately cool. A microcircuit, which is a very thin cooling circuit having crossing pedestals, is embedded into the blade in this area. The microcircuit provides additional cooling, and addresses the challenges with regard to cooling these areas.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine component, such as a high pressure turbine blade, has an airfoil portion, a platform, and micro-circuits within the platform for cooling at least one of a platform edge adjacent the pressure side of the airfoil portion and the trailing edge of the platform. The micro-circuits include a first micro-circuit on a suction side of the airfoil and a second micro-circuit on a pressure side of the airfoil. The micro-circuits within the platform achieve high thermal convective efficiency, high film coverage, and high cooling effectiveness.