Turbine airfoil cooling system with platform cooling channels with diffusion slots

A turbine airfoil, comprising:

• a generally elongated, hollow airfoil having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip section at a first end, a root coupled to the airfoil at an end generally opposite the first end for supporting the airfoil and for coupling the airfoil to a disc, a platform at the intersection between the root and the generally elongated, hollow airfoil and extending generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil, and a cooling system formed from at least one cavity in the elongated, hollow airfoil;
• at least one suction side platform edge cooling channel in the platform and extending generally along a first outer edge of the platform on a suction side of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil;
• at least one suction side platform cooling channel in the platform and extending from the at least one suction side platform edge cooling channel to a downstream edge of the platform generally along the suction side of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil such that the at least one suction side platform cooling channel is nonparallel and nonorthogonal relative to the at least one suction side platform edge and the downstream edge of the platform and wherein at least one suction side platform cooling channel is positioned generally tangential to the suction side of an adjacent turbine blade;
• a plurality of pressure side platform cooling channels in the platform and extending generally along an outer edge of the platform on a pressure side of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil;
• and
• wherein at least one of the pressure side platform cooling channels comprises a diffusion slot extending at an acute angle from one of the pressure side platform cooling channels to a second side edge of the platform on the pressure side of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil that is generally opposite to the first side edge.

A turbine airfoil, comprising:

• a generally elongated, hollow airfoil having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip section at a first end, a root coupled to the airfoil at an end generally opposite the first end for supporting the airfoil and for coupling the airfoil to a disc, a platform at the intersection between the root and the generally elongated, hollow airfoil and extending generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil, and a cooling system formed from at least one cavity in the elongated, hollow airfoil;
• at least one suction side platform edge cooling channel in the platform and extending generally along a first outer edge of the platform on a suction side of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil;
• at least one suction side platform cooling channel in the platform and extending from the at least one suction side platform edge cooling channel to a downstream edge of the platform generally along the suction side of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil such that the at least one suction side platform cooling channel is nonparallel and nonorthogonal relative to the at least one suction side platform edge and the downstream edge of the platform;
• a plurality of pressure side platform cooling channels positioned generally parallel to each other in the platform and extending generally along an outer edge of the platform on a pressure side of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil;
• wherein the pressure side platform cooling channels each comprise a diffusion slot extending at an acute angle from the pressure side platform cooling channels to a second side edge of the platform on the pressure side of the generally elongated, hollow airfoil that is generally opposite to the first side edge;
• wherein the diffusion slots are positioned adjacent to each other along the second side edge between an upstream edge to the downstream edge;
• and
• wherein the diffusion slot is positioned to direct cooling fluids in close proximity and generally tangential to the suction side of an adjacent turbine blade.