TURBINE BLADE COOLING

A cooling system for the turbine wheel and blade assembly of a gas turbine engine, which system comprising a cooling air flow passage provided on the turbine wheel and blade assembly at one of the external surfaces thereof. The cooling air flow passage is comprised of a cooling air inlet formed in a sationary part of the gas turbine engine, an intermediate passage defined between the side wall of the turbine wheel and the adjacent side wall of the stationary part or stator body of the gas turbine engine, and an ejector portion defined between the circumferential edge of the turbine wheel and the adjacent edge of the stationary part of the gas turbine engine which ejector portion opens to a high temperature gas flow passage in which the turbine blades are operatively disposed at the base portion of the turbine blade. The turbine wheel and blade assembly is also provided with an additional cooling air flow passage at another one of the external surfaces thereof. The additional cooling air flow passage is comprised of a cooling air inlet formed in a rotational shaft driven by the turbine wheel, an intermediate passage defined between another side wall of the turbine wheel and adjacent side wall of another stationary part of the gas turbine engine, and an ejector portion defined between another circumferential edge of the turbine wheel and the adjacent edge of another stationary part of the gas turbine engine which ejector portion opens to the high-temperature gas flow passage at the opposing side of the base portion of the turbine blades.