Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cooling gas turbine rotor blades is provided. The rotor blades include an airfoil having a pressure sidewall and a second suction sidewall connected together at a leading edge and a trailing edge, such that an internal three pass serpentine cooling circuit is formed therebetween. The cooling circuit includes radially extending first, second, and third serpentine cooling cavities partially separated by, in axially aft succession, a first radially extending internal rib and a second internal rib. The second rib includes a radially inner first portion and a radially outer portion wherein the radially outer portion is angled obliquely with respect to the first portion.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a nozzle for a gas turbine engine facilitates extending a useful life of the nozzles. The nozzle includes an airfoil. The method includes forming the airfoil to include a suction side and a pressure side connected at a leading edge and a trailing edge, forming a plurality of slots in the pressure side of the airfoil extending towards the trailing edge, and extending a plurality of pins arranged in rows between the airfoil suction and pressure sides, such that at each of a first row of pins has a substantially elliptical cross-sectional area, wherein the first row of pins is between the remaining rows of pins and the airfoil pressure side slots.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a nozzle for a gas turbine engine facilitates extending a useful life of the nozzles. The nozzle includes an airfoil. The method includes forming the airfoil to include a suction side and a pressure side connected at a leading edge and a trailing edge, forming a plurality of slots in the pressure side of the airfoil extending towards the trailing edge, and extending a plurality of pins arranged in rows between the airfoil suction and pressure sides, such that at each of a first row of pins has a substantially elliptical cross-sectional area, wherein the first row of pins is between the remaining rows of pins and the airfoil pressure side slots.

Abstract: An airfoil for use in a gas turbine engine includes a pressure side and a suction side joined at a trailing edge wall that defines a trailing edge. The airfoil includes at least one cooling hole extending through the trailing edge wall so as to pass cooling fluid from the pressure side of the airfoil to the suction side.

Abstract: A turbine nozzle vane includes pressure and suction sidewalls extending between leading and trailing edges. The vane includes a pair of integral ribs defining three internal cooling channels between the leading and trailing edges. Rows of film cooling holes extend through the sidewalls, and three rows in the pressure side are inclined along the span of the airfoil at different slopes.

Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes inner and outer bands having respective air inlets. A plurality of hollow vanes are integrally joined to the bands in flow communication with the inlets. Each vane includes first and second cooling channels extending between the bands which are separated by an inclined septum which converges the two channels away from the corresponding inlets for reducing pressure drop as the cooling air is discharged.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine airfoil includes first and second sidewalls joined together at opposite leading and trailing edges, and spaced apart from each other therebetween to define a leading edge channel extending longitudinally from a root to a tip of the airfoil. A plurality of film cooling holes extend through the leading edge and are disposed in flow communication with the leading edge channel. An isolation plenum extends along the first sidewall and adjacent the leading edge channel, and is separated therefrom by a partition having a plurality of inlet holes. A plurality of film cooling gill holes extend through the first sidewall, and are disposed in flow communication with the isolation plenum. Cooling air is channeled from the leading edge channel to the isolation plenum for feeding the gill holes with reduced pressure air.

Abstract: A turbine blade includes a hollow airfoil having a squealer tip rib extending outboard from a tip cap enclosing the airfoil. An impingement baffle is spaced inboard from the tip cap to define a tip plenum therebetween. Impingement holes extend through the baffle and are directed at the junction of the rib and cap for impinging a coolant jet thereagainst.

Abstract: A turbine engine airfoil includes a three-pass serpentine shaped cooling cavity including a leading edge chamber, an oversized intermediate chamber, and a trailing edge chamber in flow communication. The cavity further includes a combination of a plurality of ribs and a plurality of pins, a purge air swirler, a turning vane, and a metering partition which mixes the high pressure air and provides increased air cooling and uniform flow control in the airfoil. The metering partition provides a decrease of the air pressure in the trailing edge chamber allowing for an increase in the number of trailing edge slots.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine airfoil includes an axial serpentine cooling circuit therein. A plurality of the serpentine circuits are preferably stacked in a radial row along the airfoil trailing edge for cooling thereof.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine airfoil includes first and second sidewalls joined together at opposite leading and trailing edges, and extending longitudinally from a root to a tip. The sidewalls are spaced apart from each other to define in part first and second adjoining flow chambers extending longitudinally therein, and defined in additional part by corresponding first and second partitions disposed between the sidewalls. The second partition is common to both chambers, and both partitions include respective pluralities of first and second inlet holes sized to meter cooling air therethrough in series between the chambers.

Abstract: A rotor blade includes a dovetail and an airfoil joined thereto. The airfoil includes first and second spaced apart sides joined together laterally at opposite leading and trailing edges, and spanwise at a root and opposite tip. A serpentine cooling circuit extends inside the airfoil for channeling air therethrough for cooling the blade. The serpentine circuit includes first and second passes and a first bend therebetween for firstly receiving the cooling air in turn from the dovetail. A tip circuit is disposed between the tip and the serpentine circuit at the first bend for separating the tip from the first bend and providing cooling thereof near the trailing edge.