Turbine airfoil and method of cooling

1. An airfoil for use in a gas turbine engine, the airfoil comprising:

a pressure surface and a suction surface each extending axially from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the airfoil, at least one of the pressure surface, the suction surface, the leading edge and the trailing edge terminating at an edge of a tip section of the airfoil;

a plurality of internal cooling conduits located within the airfoil; and

at least one cooling hole in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of internal cooling conduits, wherein the at least one cooling hole is aligned with at least one opening that extends directly from the at least one cooling hole and wherein the opening is formed in and extends through an edge of a tip shelf of the tip section of the airfoil, wherein the edge of the tip shelf intersects the pressure surface.

2. The airfoil as in claim 1 , further comprising a squealer pocket formed in the tip section, wherein the at least one cooling hole is a plurality of cooling holes, and wherein the at least one opening is a plurality of openings and each of the plurality of cooling holes are aligned with a respective one of the plurality of openings, wherein one of the plurality of cooling holes is located in an interior peripheral wall of the squealer pocket.

3. The airfoil as in claim 2 , wherein the squealer pocket forms a closed radial recess in the tip section of airfoil.

4. The airfoil as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one cooling hole is a plurality of cooling holes, and wherein the at least one opening is a plurality of openings and each of the plurality of cooling holes are aligned with a respective one of the plurality of openings, wherein one of the plurality of cooling holes is located in the leading edge of the airfoil.

5. The airfoil as in claim 1 , further comprising a first plurality of cooling holes located on the leading edge of the airfoil, wherein the first plurality of cooling holes are in fluid communication with the plurality of internal cooling conduits.

6. The airfoil as in claim 5 , wherein the first plurality of cooling holes are located in a trench.

7. The airfoil as in claim 1 , wherein the tip shelf extends along the pressure surface between the leading edge and the trailing edge.

8. The airfoil as in claim 1 , wherein the tip shelf extends along the pressure surface from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

9. The airfoil as in claim 1 , wherein the tip section further comprises a squealer pocket.

10. An airfoil for use in a gas turbine engine, the airfoil comprising:

a pressure surface and a suction surface each extending axially from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the airfoil, at least one of the pressure surface, the suction surface, the leading edge and the trailing edge terminating at an edge of a tip section of the airfoil;

a plurality of internal cooling conduits located within the airfoil; and

a plurality of cooling openings each being in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of internal cooling conduits, wherein a portion of the plurality of cooling openings are each aligned with a corresponding opening of a plurality of openings that extend directly from the cooling opening and extend through an edge of a tip shelf of the tip section, wherein the edge of the tip shelf intersects the pressure surface.

11. The airfoil as in claim 10 , further comprising a squealer pocket formed in the tip section, wherein some of the portion of the plurality of cooling openings are partially aligned with an interior peripheral wall of the squealer pocket.

12. The airfoil as in claim 11 , wherein the tip shelf extends along the pressure surface between the leading edge and the trailing edge.

13. The airfoil as in claim 10 , wherein the tip shelf extends along the pressure surface between the leading edge and the trailing edge.

14. The airfoil as in claim 11 , wherein the squealer pocket forms a closed radial recess in the tip section of airfoil.

15. The airfoil as in claim 11 , wherein another portion of the plurality of cooling openings are located in the leading edge of the airfoil.

16. The airfoil as in claim 11 , wherein another portion of the plurality of cooling openings are located on the leading edge of the airfoil, wherein the another portion of the plurality of cooling openings located on the leading edge of the airfoil are in fluid communication with the plurality of internal cooling conduits.

17. The airfoil as in claim 16 , wherein the another portion of the plurality of cooling openings located on the leading edge of the airfoil are located in a trench.

18. A method for cooling a portion of a tip section of an airfoil configured for use in a gas turbine engine the airfoil comprising: a pressure surface and a suction surface each extending axially from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the airfoil, at least one of the pressure surface, the suction surface, the leading edge and the trailing edge terminating at an edge of a tip section of the airfoil, the method comprising:

fluidly coupling at least one opening located in a portion of the tip section of the airfoil to a cooling opening in fluid communication with at least one of a plurality of internal cooling conduits located within the airfoil, wherein the at least one opening extends directly from the at least one cooling opening through an edge of a tip shelf of the tip section of the airfoil, wherein the edge of the tip shelf intersects the pressure surface.

19. The method as in claim 18 , wherein the at least one opening is a plurality of openings located in any combination of: an interior peripheral wall of a squealer pocket, the edge of the tip shelf, and a leading edge of the airfoil.