Turbo-machine with slotted blades

Claim 1

AN AXIAL FLOW TURBO-MACHINE BLADE HAVING A CROSSSECTIONAL PROFILE OF THE LAMINAR AIRFOIL TYPE, SAID BLADE INCLUDING A FORWARD AIRFOIL PORTION AND A REARWARD AIRFOIL PORTION WITH THE FORWARD AIRFOIL PORTION TRAILING EDGE SECTION OVERLAPPING THE REARWARD AIRFOIL PORTION LEADING EDGE SECTION TO FORM A SLOT EXTENDING GENERALLY LONGITUDINALLY IN A DOWNSTREAM DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO THE AIRFOIL CHORD FROM THE LOWER SURFACE TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE AIRFOIL, SAID SLOT HAVING ITS EXIT IN THE UPPER SURFACE AT A POSITION LOCATED IMMEDIATELY UPSTREAM OF THE POINT OF TRANSITION OF THE BOUNDARY LAYER TO FULLY DEVELOPED TURBULENT BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW AT THE DESIGN OPERATING CONDITION OF THE BLADE, THE GAP AT THE NARROWEST POINT BETWEEN SAID AIRFOIL PORTIONS BEING WITHIN THE RANGE OF ONE TIME TO 1.66 TIMES THE THICKNESS OF THE BOUNDARY LAYER ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE TRAILING EDGE SECTION OF THE FORWARD AIRFOIL PORTION PLUS THE THICKNESS OF THE BOUNDARY LAYER ON THE LOWER SURFACE OF THE TRAILING EDGE SECTION OF THE FORWARD AIRFOIL PORTION PLUS THE THICKNESS OF THE BOUNDARY LAYER ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE REARWARD AIRFOIL PORTION AT THE SLOT EXIT, WHERE THE THICKNESS OF SAID BOUNDARY LAYERS ARE TAKEN AT THE DESIGN OPERATING CONDITION OF THE BLADE.