Turbine rotor blade platform cooling

A method of manufacturing a platform cooling arrangement in a turbine rotor blade having a platform at an interface between an airfoil and a root, the root including attachment means and, extending between the attachment means and the platform, a shank, wherein, along the side of the platform that corresponds with a suction face of the airfoil, the platform comprises a suction side that includes a topside extending from an airfoil base to a suction side slashface, and wherein the platform overhangs a shank cavity formed in the shank, the platform cooling arrangement comprising:

• forming a pocket in an underside region of the platform, the pocket comprising a mouth that fluidly communicates with the shank cavity;
• machining via a drilling process a manifold, the manifold extending linearly and in an approximate circumferential direction from the pressure side slashface to the suction side slashface, the linear path of the manifold being predetermined such that an offset is maintained from the aft edge of the platform and the manifold bisects the pocket along the way;
• machining cooling apertures within the platform that extend from a connection made to the pocket to corresponding ports formed on the suction side slashface;
• and
• machining cooling apertures within the platform that extend from a connection made to the manifold to a corresponding ports formed in an aft edge of the platform.