Patent ID: 8794921

Claim:
A platform cooling arrangement for a turbine rotor blade having a platform at an interface between an airfoil and a root, wherein the rotor blade includes an interior cooling passage that extends from the root to at least the approximate radial height of the platform and comprises, in operation, a high-pressure coolant region and a low-pressure coolant region, and wherein, along the side of the platform that corresponds with a pressure face of the airfoil, the platform comprises a topside, which extends from the airfoil to a pressure side slashface, and an underside; the platform cooling arrangement comprising: an airfoil manifold that resides in the platform, near the junction of the pressure face of the airfoil and the platform; a slashface manifold that resides in the platform, near the pressure side slashface; a high-pressure connector that connects the airfoil manifold to the high-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; a low-pressure connector that connects the slashface manifold to the low-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; and cooling apertures, the cooling apertures comprising apertures that extend from a starting point along the pressure side slashface to a connection with the airfoil manifold, bisecting the slashface manifold therebetween; and non-integral plugs that reside in at least one of the following: the cooling apertures, the high-pressure connector; and the low-pressure connector; wherein the plugs comprise predetermined configurations and placement such that, during operation, a desired flow pattern of coolant through the platform is achieved.