Abstract: A rotor blade is provided that includes a root and a hollow airfoil. The hollow airfoil has a cavity defined by a suction side wall, a pressure side wall, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a base, and a tip. An internal passage configuration is disposed within the cavity. The configuration includes a passage disposed adjacent the leading edge, and an axially extending passage disposed adjacent the tip. The first passage is connected to the second passage. The second passage includes an opening disposed at the trailing edge of the airfoil. A conduit is disposed within the root that is operable to permit airflow through the root and into the leading edge passage, wherein the conduit provides the primary path into the leading edge passage.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a rotor blade and a method for cooling a rotor blade is provided. The rotor blade includes a root and a hollow airfoil having a cavity defined by suction side wall, a pressure side wall, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a base, and a tip. An internal passage configuration is disposed within the cavity. The configuration includes a serpentine passage having at least three radial segments connected to one another, an axially extending passage disposed between the tip and the serpentine passage, at least one aperture extending between the last radial segment and the axially extending passage, and one or more sink apertures disposed within one of the suction side wall or the pressure side wall of the last radial segment of the serpentine passage. At least one conduit is disposed within the root. The conduit is operable to permit airflow through the root and into the internal passage configuration.

Abstract: A rotor blade is provided that includes a root and a hollow airfoil. The hollow airfoil has a cavity, a leading edge, and a tip. An internal passage configuration is disposed within the cavity that includes a first radial passage, a second radial passage, and a rib disposed between the passages. The passages and the rib are contiguous with a tip endwall. The first radial passage is disposed contiguous with the leading edge. A plurality of crossover apertures are disposed in the rib. One of the crossover apertures is disposed flush with the tip endwall. A conduit is disposed within the root that is operable to permit airflow through the root and into the passages. In some embodiments, an aperture is disposed within the tip endwall aligned with the first radial passage.

Abstract: A rotor blade is provided that includes a root, a hollow airfoil, and a conduit disposed within the root. The hollow airfoil has a cavity defined by a suction side wall, a pressure side wall, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a base, and a tip. An internal passage configuration is disposed within the cavity. The configuration includes a first radial passage, a second radial passage, a rib disposed between and separating the first radial passage and second radial passage, a plurality of crossover apertures disposed within the rib, and a plurality of trip strips disposed within the second radial passage. The trip strips are attached to an interior surface of one or both of the pressure side wall and the suction side wall. The trip strips are disposed within the first radial passage at an angle ? that is skewed relative to a cooling airflow direction within the first radial passage, and positioned such that each of the plurality of trip strips converges toward the rib.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a hollow airfoil is provided that comprises a leading edge wall portion, a plurality of cavities, one or more crossover ribs, a plurality of cooling apertures, and a plurality of impingement ribs. The cavities are disposed adjacent the leading edge wall portion, between the leading edge wall portion and a first rib. The crossover ribs extend between the leading edge wall portion and the first rib, and at least one crossover rib is disposed between a pair of the cavities. The cooling apertures are disposed in the leading edge wall portion, providing a passage through which cooling air can exit the cavities. The impingement apertures are disposed in the first rib, providing a passage through which cooling air can enter the cavities. At least one of the impingement apertures is contiguous with one of the crossover ribs.

Abstract: A component for use in a gas turbine engine is provided. The component has an airfoil portion with a plurality of internal cooling passages and a non-linear trailing edge. The component further has a non-linear array of teardrop shaped assemblies which form a plurality of injection slots for injecting a coolant fluid into a fluid passing over the airfoil portion. The teardrop shaped assemblies are designed to maximize thermal performance of the component by reducing a relative diffusion angle between the injected coolant flow and the streamline direction of the fluid passing over the airfoil portion.

Abstract: A rotor blade for a rotor assembly is provided that includes a root, an airfoil, and a damper. The airfoil includes a base, a tip, a pressure side wall, a suction side wall, and a cavity disposed therebetween. The cavity extends substantially between the base and the tip, and includes a first cavity portion, a second cavity portion, and a channel disposed between the first cavity portion and the second cavity portion. A plurality of first pedestals are disposed within the first cavity portion adjacent the channel, and a plurality of second pedestals are disposed within the second cavity portion adjacent the channel. The damper is selectively received within the channel.

Abstract: A turbine engine component, such as a blade or vane, has a system for cooling a trailing edge portion thereof. The system includes a plurality of rows of pedestals which vary in density along a span of the component. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the number of rows of pedestals increases as one moves along the span of the component from an inner diameter region to an outer diameter region.