Patent ID: 8668437

Claim:
A turbine engine, comprising: at least one combustor positioned upstream from a rotor assembly, wherein the rotor assembly includes at least first and second rows of turbine blades extending radially outward from a rotor; a compressor positioned upstream from the at least one combustor; a first row of turbine vanes attached to a vane carrier, wherein the turbine vanes each extend radially inward and terminate proximate to the rotor assembly upstream of the first row of turbine blades; a first row turbine vane impeller in fluid communication with cooling systems positioned internally within the turbine vanes in the first row of turbine vanes for increasing the pressure of cooling fluids flowing from the compressor, wherein the first row turbine vane impeller is formed from a plurality of radially extending curved channels that are each formed by radially extending, curved ribs; and a concentric bore extending from the compressor to the first row turbine vane impeller to direct cooling fluids from the compressor to the first row turbine vane impeller.