Abstract: A coolable airfoil 10 has a plurality of spanwisely extending passages. Various construction details are developed to increase the cooling effectiveness of the internal structure and decrease the need for cooling air. In one particular embodiment, a leading edge passage 56 has film cooling air flowing over the passage to shelter the passage from the hot working medium gases. This sheltered cooling air is then mixed with heated cooling air from a tortuous passage 84, 92 flowing through the mid-chord region 68 of the blade. In one embodiment, the coating air is supplied to a chordwisely extending tip passage 74 to cool the airfoil tip region and is mixed in the passage 74.

Abstract: An airfoil core has a frame formed of passage forming elements supporting a pair of spanwisely extending passage forming elements within the frame. The pair of passage forming elements has at least one plurality of hole forming elements extending chordwisely therefrom and supported in part by at least one of the pair of passage forming elements to increase the durability of the core. In one embodiment, the core includes a trailing edge region framed by spanwisely and chordwisely extending elements.

Abstract: A rotor blade design capable of long term reliable operation in a high temperature environment is disclosed. Various cooling concepts adapted to preserve the mechanical properties of the blade material are developed. A cooling system for the blade is built around a multiple supply construction in which cooling medium from a first supply is mixed internally of the blade with cooling medium from a second supply.