Patent ID: 8777564

Claim:
A turbine static nozzle airfoil having a hub region proximate a first end, a tip region proximate a second end, and a core region disposed there between, the turbine static nozzle airfoil having a variable throat dimension, s, divided by a pitch length, t, (“s/t”) distribution across a radial length of the turbine static nozzle airfoil, wherein the s/t distribution comprises an s/t with respect to a radius ratio, wherein the radius ratio comprises a radius at a given location on the airfoil divided by a radius at a middle of the airfoil, and wherein the variable s/t distribution is non-linear across the radial length of the airfoil, and wherein the s/t distribution in the core region is substantially linear and the s/t distribution at the hub region and the tip region is non-linear with respect to the core region, the hub region having a larger s/t distribution than an s/t distribution of the proximate core region and the tip region having a smaller s/t distribution than the s/t distribution of the proximate core region.