TURBINE AIRFOIL WITH FLOW SPLITTER ENHANCED SERPENTINE CHANNEL COOLING SYSTEM

摘要

A turbine airfoil (10) with a cooling system (12) including a serpentine cooling channel (14) with at least one flow splitter (16) forming inner and outer cooling fluid flow paths (18, 20) in at least one turn (22) is disclosed. The inner and outer cooling fluid flow paths (18, 20) created in one or more turns (22) in the serpentine cooling channel (14) create better flow characteristics in the turns (22). The inner cooling fluid flow path (18) created by the flow splitter (16) may reduce the recirculation zone for better heat transfer in the serpentine cooling channel (14). The cooling system (12) may also include a flow splitter (16) in a turn immediately upstream from the trailing edge (24) that extends along a portion of the trailing edge (24) to prevent cooling fluids from being exhausted through the trailing edge (24) prematurely.