Patent ID: 6890154

Claim:
A turbine rotor blade comprising: an external wall, said external wall includes an inner surface; an internal cavity into which cooling air is flowable; a first cooling circuit embedded within said wall, said first cooling circuit includes: a first inlet, said first inlet connects said first cooling circuit with said cavity and provides a cooling air flow path into said first cooling circuit; and an exit aperture, said exit aperture provides a cooling air flow path out of said first cooling circuit, said first cooling circuit configured to increase the temperature of the cooling air as it travels from said inlet to said exit aperture; a second cooling circuit embedded within said wall, said second cooling circuit includes: a first inlet, said first inlet of said second cooling circuit connects said second cooling circuit with said cavity and provides a cooling air flow path into said second cooling circuit; and an exit aperture, said exit aperture of said second cooling circuit provides a cooling air flow path out of said second cooling circuit, said second cooling circuit configured to increase the temperature of the cooling air as it travels from said inlet of said second cooling circuit to said exit aperture of said second cooling circuit; and a third cooling circuit embedded within said wall, said third cooling circuit includes: a first inlet, said first inlet of said third cooling circuit connects said third cooling circuit with said cavity and provides a cooling air flow path into said third cooling circuit; and an exit aperture, said exit aperture of said third cooling circuit provides a cooling air flow path out of said third cooling circuit, said third cooling circuit configured to increase the temperature of the cooling air as it travels from said inlet of said third cooling circuit to said exit aperture of said third cooling circuit; wherein said first inlets are aligned with the direction of counter-rotating flow circulations experienced by said inner surface of said wall of said cavity caused by Coriolis forces on the cooling air flowing inside said cavity.