Turbine blade for a gas turbine engine and method for forming same

1 . A blade for a gas turbine engine, the blade comprising:

an airfoil body configured for rotation about a rotational axis of the gas turbine engine, the airfoil body including a pressure side wall, a suction side wall, and a tip end wall, the pressure side wall and the suction side wall extending between and to a leading edge of the airfoil body and a trailing edge of the airfoil body, the pressure side wall forming a pressure side surface, the suction side wall forming a suction side surface, the tip end wall forming a blade tip at an outer radial body end of the airfoil body, the airfoil body forming a plurality of suction side wall passages and a main body cavity,

the suction side wall including an exterior wall segment and an interior wall segment, the suction side wall forming the plurality of suction side wall passages between the exterior wall segment and the interior wall segment, the interior wall segment and the exterior wall segment extending radially to and contacting the tip end wall, the plurality of suction side wall passages extending through the tip end wall to the blade tip, and a plurality of radially oriented segmented ribs extending within the plurality of suction side wall passages through the tip end wall to the blade tip, and

the interior wall segment and the pressure side wall forming the main body cavity.

2 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the main body cavity is isolated from fluid communication with the suction side wall passages.

3 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the tip end wall forms a tip pocket on the blade tip, and the plurality of suction side wall passages are connected in fluid communication with the tip pocket.

4 . The blade of claim 3 , wherein the tip end wall forms a bottom wall and a perimeter side wall forming the tip pocket, the bottom wall is disposed radially inward of the blade tip, the perimeter side wall extends between and to the bottom wall and the blade tip, and the plurality of suction side wall passages are formed through the bottom wall.

5 . The blade of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of suction side wall passages are further formed through the perimeter side wall.

6 . The blade of claim 3 , wherein the pressure side wall, the interior wall segment, and the tip end wall form a tip plenum extending along the tip end wall, and the tip plenum is disposed radially outward of and connected in fluid communication with the main body cavity.

7 . The blade of claim 6 , wherein the tip end wall forms a squealer pocket on the blade tip, and the squealer pocket is connected in fluid communication with the tip plenum.

8 . The blade of claim 7 , wherein the squealer pocket is disposed coincident with the tip pocket.

9 . The blade of claim 6 , wherein the tip plenum extends along the tip end wall to an outlet formed through the trailing edge.

10 . The blade of claim 6 , wherein the pressure side wall includes an exterior pressure wall segment and an interior pressure wall segment, the pressure side wall forms a plurality of pressure side wall passages between the exterior pressure wall segment and the interior pressure wall segment, the tip plenum is separated from the pressure side wall passages by the interior pressure wall segment, and the tip plenum is disposed radially outward of the pressure side wall passages.

11 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the exterior wall segment forms a plurality of cooling holes extending through exterior wall segment from the suction side wall passages to the suction side surface.

12 . A gas turbine engine comprising:

a turbine section including a bladed turbine rotor mounted for rotation about a rotational axis, the bladed turbine rotor including a plurality of turbine blades, each of the turbine blades including an airfoil body, the airfoil body including a pressure side wall, a suction side wall, and a tip end wall, the pressure side wall and the suction side wall extending between and to a leading edge of the airfoil body and a trailing edge of the airfoil body, the pressure side wall forming a pressure side surface, the suction side wall forming a suction side surface, the tip end wall forming a blade tip at an outer radial body end of the airfoil body, the airfoil body forming a plurality of suction side wall passages, a plurality of pressure side wall passages, and a tip plenum,

the suction side wall including an exterior suction wall segment and an interior suction wall segment, the suction side wall forming the plurality of suction side wall passages between the exterior suction wall segment and the interior suction wall segment, the interior suction wall segment and the exterior suction wall segment extending radially to and contacting the tip end wall, the plurality of suction side wall passages extending through the tip end wall to the blade tip,

the pressure side wall including an exterior pressure wall segment and an interior pressure wall segment, the pressure side wall forming the plurality of pressure side wall passages between the exterior pressure wall segment and the interior pressure wall segment, the interior pressure wall segment forming an outer radial passage end of the plurality of pressure side wall passages radially inward of the blade tip, and

the pressure side wall, the suction side wall, and the tip end wall forming the tip plenum extending along the tip end wall, the tip plenum disposed radially between the plurality of pressure side wall passages and the tip end wall;

wherein the tip end wall forms a tip pocket on the blade tip, and the plurality of suction side wall passages are connected in fluid communication with the tip pocket;

wherein the tip end wall forms a bottom wall and a perimeter side wall forming the tip pocket, the bottom wall is disposed radially inward of the blade tip, the perimeter side wall extends between and to the bottom wall and the blade tip, and the plurality of suction side wall passages are formed through the bottom wall; and

wherein the plurality of suction side wall passages are further formed through the perimeter side wall.

13 . The gas turbine engine of claim 12 , wherein the tip end wall forms a squealer pocket on the blade tip, and the squealer pocket is connected in fluid communication with the tip plenum.

14 . A blade for a gas turbine engine, the blade comprising:

an airfoil body configured for rotation about a rotational axis of the gas turbine engine, the airfoil body including a pressure side wall, a suction side wall, and a tip end wall, the pressure side wall and the suction side wall extending between and to a leading edge of the airfoil body and a trailing edge of the airfoil body, the pressure side wall forming a pressure side surface, the suction side wall forming a suction side surface, the tip end wall forming a blade tip at an outer radial body end of the airfoil body, the airfoil body forming a plurality of suction side wall passages and a main body cavity,

the suction side wall including an exterior wall segment and an interior wall segment, the suction side wall forming the plurality of suction side wall passages between the exterior wall segment and the interior wall segment, the interior wall segment and the exterior wall segment extending radially to and contacting the tip end wall, the plurality of suction side wall passages extending through the tip end wall to the blade tip, and

the interior wall segment and the pressure side wall forming the main body cavity;

wherein the tip end wall forms a bottom wall and a perimeter side wall, the bottom wall and the perimeter wall forming a tip pocket on the blade tip, the bottom wall disposed radially inward of the blade tip, the perimeter side wall extending between and to the bottom wall and the blade tip, the plurality of suction side wall passages formed through the bottom wall; and

wherein the plurality of suction side wall passages are connected in fluid communication with the tip pocket, and the plurality of suction side wall passages are further formed through the perimeter side wall.