Patent ID: 7674092

Claim:
A blade or vane component with a basic airfoil shape for a rotary machine having a rotor mounted along a rotational axis of the machine, comprising: an inner space defined by a first wall radially extending perpendicular to the rotor axis, a second wall arranged opposite the first wall, an inlet area arranged at a radially inward end of the first and second walls, a top area arranged opposite the inlet area and at a radially outer end of the first and second walls, and an outlet area arranged toward a trailing edge of the component, wherein the inner space forms a passage for a cooling fluid that flows from the inlet area toward the outlet area; a plurality of first ribs projecting from the first wall, having a first rib extension extending substantially parallel to each other from a leading end of the first ribs to a trailing end of the first ribs, having a main thickness along a main portion of the first rib extension and a greater thickness at the trailing end of the first rib extension and forming a plurality of first channels in which the cooling fluid flows; and a plurality of second ribs projecting from the second wall, having a second rib extension extending from a leading end of the second ribs to a trailing end of the second ribs, having a main thickness along a main portion of the second rib extension and a greater thickness at the trailing end of the second rib extension and forming a plurality of second channels in which the cooling fluid flows, wherein the first rib extensions are directly connected to the second rib extensions where they intersect, wherein the first and second ribs intersect at intersection joints arranged in the trailing end of the component such that each intersection of the first and second channels forms a common outlet channel having a reduced flow area at the trailing edge due the increased rib thickness of the first and second ribs, and wherein each common outlet channel directs all the cooling fluid from the respective first and second channels out the trailing edge.