Patent ID: 7549843

Claim:
A turbine airfoil, comprising: a generally elongated, hollow airfoil having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip section at a first end, a root coupled to the airfoil at an end generally opposite the first end for supporting the airfoil and for coupling the airfoil to a disc, and a cooling system formed from at least one cavity in the elongated, hollow airfoil; an outer wall forming an outer surface of the generally elongated airfoil; a suction side serpentine cooling channel positioned proximate to a suction side of the generally elongated airfoil and defined by the internal support core and the outer wall; wherein the suction side serpentine cooling channel is formed from a plurality of legs that are positioned in a generally chordwise direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil; and a pressure side serpentine cooling channel positioned proximate to a pressure side of the generally elongated airfoil and defined by the internal support core and the outer wall; wherein the pressure side serpentine cooling channel is formed from a plurality of legs that are positioned in a generally chordwise direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil; wherein a leg forming a portion of the suction side serpentine cooling channel has a width proximate to the leading edge that differs from a width of the same leg proximate to the trailing edge.