Patent ID: 6955522

Claim:
A hollow airfoil, comprising: an internal cavity into which cooling air is flowable from an end of the airfoil; an external wall which includes suction and pressure sidewalls joined together at leading and trailing edges and extending from a first end at a platform to a second end; a stagnation line, said stagnation line extends spanwise along said leading edge; a longitudinally extending first plenum disposed proximate to said leading edge and said pressure sidewall; a plurality of first inlets in flow communication with said first plenum and cooling air within said cavity; a plurality of discrete first pedestals, said pedestals extend in the spanwise direction within said first plenum; a trench disposed in said external wall centered on said stagnation line, said trench extends in a spanwise direction and includes a first half and a second half, said first and second halves separated by said stagnation line; and a plurality of first exit apertures disposed adjacent said stagnation line and within said first half of said trench adjacent said pressure sidewall, said first apertures in flow communication with said first plenum; wherein cooling air enters said first plenum through said first inlets, impinges onto said first pedestals and is directed into said first apertures, said first apertures direct cooling air exiting therefrom over said stagnation line and onto said suction sidewall to film cool the airfoil.