Patent ID: 7097418

Claim:
A gas turbine engine vane assembly comprising: an airfoil extending from a vane platform and adapted to extend through a main gas flow passage of said gas turbine engine; an impingement structure disposed adjacent said vane platform and defining at least first and second plenums therebetween, said first and second plenums being in fluid flow communication and defined in part by said vane platform, said vane platform having first and second surfaces respectively defined within said first and second plenums, said impingement structure having first impingement holes communicating between a source of secondary cooling air and said first plenum for impingement cooling of said first surface, and second impingement holes communicating between said first plenum and said second plenum for impingement cooling of said second surface, said second plenum being wholly disposed upstream of said first plenum relative to a primary gas flow direction through said main gas flow passage, said second plenum disposed downstream of said first plenum relative to secondary cooling air flow therethrough; and an exhaust passage communicating between said second plenum and said main gas flow passage for exhausting said secondary cooling air flow into said main gas flow passage.