Hydraulic turbine for enhancing the level of dissolved gas in water

A Francis turbine installation comprising:

• a water passageway for containing turbine components and extending from an upper elevation source of water to a lower elevation discharge region;
• a turbine runner disposed in the passageway so that water flowing therethrough impinges on the runner, the runner having a crown, a band substantially concentric with the crown, and a plurality of blades extending between the crown and the band at spaced intervals along the crown, each blade fixedly secured to the crown at an inner edge and to the band at a distal outer edge, each blade having a water directing surface defined by a pressure side, an oppositely facing suction side, a leading edge and a spaced apart trailing edge, at least one of the blades including:
• a leading blade portion having a rear edge in which a first slot is machined along at least a portion of the rear edge;
• a trailing blade portion having a front edge in which a second slot is machined along at least a portion of the front edge;
• wherein the trailing blade portion is fixedly secured to the leading blade portion along the front edge and the rear edge, respectively, so that the first and second slots cooperate to form an integral passage in the at least one of the blades;
• and
• means for discharging an oxygen containing gas from the integral passage to a location adjacent the trailing edge;
• and
• means for supplying an oxygen containing gas to the integral passage in the at least one of the blades.

A reaction turbine blade for use in a runner of a Francis turbine installation, the blade having a water directing surface defined by a pressure side, an oppositely facing suction side, a leading edge and a spaced apart trailing edge, the blade further including:

• a leading blade portion having a rear edge in which a first slot is machined along at least a portion of the rear edge;
• a trailing blade portion having a front edge in which a second slot is machined along at least a portion of the front edge;
• wherein the trailing blade portion is fixedly secured to the leading blade portion along the front edge and the rear edge, respectively, so that the first and second slots cooperate to form an integral passage in the at least one of the blades;
• and
• means for discharging an oxygen containing gas from the integral passage to a location adjacent the trailing edge.