Patent ID: 6955523

Claim:
A turbine vane, comprising: a generally elongated vane formed from at least one housing and having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, a suction side, and a cooling system in the vane; a serpentine cooling path formed at least from a first inflow section, a first outflow section and a second inflow section, the first inflow section extending from a first end at 100 percent span of the serpentine cooling path to a first turn at 0 percent span of the serpentine cooling path, the first outflow section in communication with the first inflow section and extending from the first turn generally toward the first end of the serpentine cooling path and a second turn, the second inflow section in communication with the first outflow section and extending from the second turn to an opening in a second end of the turbine vane adapted to be movably coupled to a disc; and at least one rib separating by the first inflow section and the first outflow section and extending from the first end of the serpentine cooling path substantially to a second end of the serpentine cooling path; and wherein the at least one rib includes a plurality of bypass orifices positioned between about 85 percent span of the serpentine cooling path and about 15 percent span of the serpentine cooling path for accommodating increased flow of cooling fluids through the turbine vane without negatively impacting turbine vane cooling, and wherein the plurality of bypass orifices create a pathway between the first inflow section and the first outflow section.