Patent ID: 9567859
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: B23P,F01D,F05D

Claim:
1. A turbine bucket for a gas turbine engine, the turbine bucket comprising: a platform; an airfoil extending radially from the platform, wherein the airfoil comprises a base portion and a cover layer extending over the base portion; and a plurality of cooling passages defined within the airfoil and near an outer surface of the airfoil, wherein each of the cooling passages is defined by a channel formed in the base portion and over which the cover layer extends, wherein each of the cooling passages comprises a radially inner portion having a first cross-sectional area in a direction transverse to a radial length of the radially inner portion and at least one radially outer portion having a second cross-sectional area in a direction transverse to a radial length of the radially outer portion, wherein the first cross-sectional area is greater than the second cross-sectional area, wherein the cover layer has a first thickness over the radially inner portion and a second thickness over the radially outer portion, and wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.