Patent ID: 8052389

Claim:
An internally cooled gas turbine aerofoil comprising: a tip; a foot; and a hollow aerofoil profiled section rising in a radial direction from the foot toward the tip, the hollow aerofoil profiled section including: an outer wall defining pressure and suction surfaces, as well as inner surfaces, an internal structure supporting the outer wall, the internal structure including load carrying members carried by or formed integrally with the foot, the load carrying members dividing an interior cavity of the aerofoil section into a plurality of cooling passages, wherein the load carrying members are thinnest adjacent the inner surfaces of the outer wall at least up to mid-height of the aerofoil and thickest about mid-way between the pressure and suction surfaces to reduce heat transfer from the outer wall to the load carrying members during operation, and a cross-sectional area of the load carrying members is tapered so as to be progressively reduced in the radial direction from about the foot to about the tip.