Patent ID: 8511968

Claim:
A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine, comprising: a generally elongated airfoil formed from an outer wall, and having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, a suction side generally opposite to the pressure side, a first endwall at a first end, a second endwall at a second end opposite the first end, and an internal cooling system positioned within the generally elongated airfoil; wherein the internal cooling system includes at least one internal chamber positioned within the generally elongated airfoil; at least one serpentine cooling channel positioned in the internal chamber forming the internal cooling system and formed from at least a first pass, a second pass and a third pass, wherein the first and third passes pass cooling fluids in the same direction that is generally opposite to the second pass that connects the first pass to the third pass and wherein the first pass is positioned closest to the leading edge and the third pass is positioned closest to the trailing edge; wherein the second pass includes at least one flow blocker rib extending longitudinally within the second pass; and wherein the flow blocker rib includes a plurality of flow blocker slots; wherein the flow blocker rib has a nonuniform width and a nonuniform taper such that a leading edge of the flow blocker rib is narrower than a trailing edge of the flow blocker rib.