Gas turbine blade with improved cooling

Claim 1

A turbine blade structure comprising: a base section including first and second cooling medium conduits for providing cooling air, said first and second cooling medium conduits being coupled to first and second air inlet ports respectively; an airfoil section attached to said base section and including a pressure side wall and a suction side wall, said airfoil section including a leading edge at which said pressure and suction side walls are joined, said airfoil section including a trailing edge at which said pressure and suction side walls are also joined, thus forming a leading edge flow region and a trailing edge flow region, said airfoil section having a tip and further including: an inner cavity situated within said leading edge flow region, said inner cavity including a plurality of passageways which together exhibit a serpentine geometry, said inner cavity having an end coupled to said first conduit to receive airflow therefrom, such that cooling air flows from said first conduit toward said leading edge; a leading edge cavity situated adjacent said leading edge and including a plurality of air film holes at said leading edge; a first wall between said inner cavity and said leading edge cavity, said first wall including a plurality of impingement holes for permitting airflow from said inner cavity to said leading edge cavity and to said air film holes, one of the passageways of the inner cavity being designated the passageway closest the leading edge cavity, and a refresher passageway coupling said first conduit to said passageway closest the leading edge cavity to refresh the airflow toward said leading edge in said inner cavity after said airflow has flowed part way through said inner cavity toward said leading edge and has become warmed.