Airfoil isolated leading edge cooling

A gas turbine engine airfoil comprising:

• first and second sidewalls joined together at opposite leading and trailing edges;
• a closed leading edge channel disposed behind said leading edge in flow communication with a row of film cooling leading edge holes extending therethrough;
• a closed isolation plenum adjoining said leading edge channel along said first sidewall, and disposed in flow communication with a row of film cooling gill holes extending through said first sidewall;
• and
• means for channeling cooling air in turn from said leading edge channel to said isolation plenum for reducing pressure thereof and providing lower air pressure in said isolation plenum than in said leading edge channel to independently control respective blowing ratios across said leading edge holes and said gill holes.

A gas turbine engine airfoil comprising:

• first and second sidewalls joined together at opposite leading and trailing edges;
• a leading edge channel disposed behind said leading edge in flow communication with a row of film cooling leading edge holes extending therethrough;
• an isolation plenum adjoining said leading edge channel along said first sidewall, and disposed in flow communication with a row of film cooling gill holes extending through said first sidewall;
• a midchord channel adjoining said leading edge channel along said second sidewall;
• an inlet channel adjoining said isolation plenum along said first sidewall;
• and
• means for channeling cooling air in turn from said inlet channel to said midchord channel to said leading edge channel and to said isolation plenum.