Patent ID: 8522557

Claim:
A cooling channel for conveying a coolant along a direction of flow, comprising: a plurality of channel walls having a downstream and an upstream side with respect to the direction of coolant flow where a first channel wall is operatively exposed to a hot combustion gas, a second channel wall is disposed opposite the first channel wall, and side walls, each spanning from the first channel wall to the second channel wall; and a plurality of inlet apertures arranged in a plurality of rows around the perimeter of at least the second channel wall for the inlet of the coolant to the cooling channel at the upstream side, wherein the plurality of rows are arranged in the direction of flow, wherein the plurality of inlet apertures are axially aligned with the cooling channel and radially outward of the first channel wall, wherein the inlet apertures vary in size and/or shape among themselves, wherein each inlet aperture comprises an aperture entry and an aperture exit, and wherein at the upstream side the cooling channel terminates at an end wall disposed upstream of the aperture exits and joining the first channel wall, the second channel wall, and the side walls such that the inlet apertures supply all coolant for the coolant flow in the cooling channel.