Patent ID: 8182223

Claim:
A turbine blade with a generally hollow airfoil having an outer wall that defines at least one radially extending chamber for receiving the flow of a coolant, the airfoil including a leading edge that resides in an upstream or forward direction, a trailing edge that resides in a downstream or aft direction, a convex suction side, and a concave pressure side, the turbine blade comprising: a plurality of inserts disposed within the chamber that are configured to initially receive at least a portion of the coolant entering the chamber and direct a substantial portion of the coolant through a plurality of insert apertures toward the inner surface of the outer wall; wherein the inserts are configured to form at least one inward bleed channel and a central collector passage into which the inward bleed channel flows; wherein the plurality of inserts includes: at least two pressure side inserts that are configured to define at least one inward bleed channel therebetween; and at least two suction side inserts that are configured to define at least one inward bleed channel therebetween.