Abstract: A hydraulic turbine installation comprises a hollow hub and a plurality of variable pitch projecting generally radially outwardly therefrom at radially spaced locations. The hollow hub has a first gas passage extending therethrough, the first gas passage being fluidly coupled to a gas source. Each blade is bounded by an inner edge and a distal outer edge, and a leading edge and an opposed trailing edge separated from the leading edge by a water directing surface. The inner edge of each blade generally sweeps a region of the outer surface of the hub during variations in pitch of the blades. At least one of the blades has a second gas passage extending therethrough from a root region of the blade to a spaced apart gas discharge aperture. The at least one of the blades is pivotally mounted in the hub by a blade support assembly. The blade support assembly includes a third gas passage which fluidly couples the first gas passage in the hub to the second gas passage in the at least one of the blades.

Abstract: A turbine installation is adapted for enhancing the level of dissolved gas in water flowing therethrough. The installation comprises a water passageway for containing turbine components including a turbine runner. The water passageway extends from an upper elevation source of water to a lower elevation discharge region. The turbine runner is disposed in the passageway so that water flowing therethrough impinges on the runner. The runner includes a plurality of blades extending from the hub at circumferentially spaced intervals. Each blade is defined by a pressure surface, an oppositely facing suction surface, a leading edge and an spaced apart trailing edge. At least one of the blades has an integrally formed gas passage extending from a gas inlet aperture in the hub to the trailing edge.

Abstract: A turbine, adaptable to enhance the levels of dissolved gas such as oxygen in water flowing therethrough, includes a rotating shaft and a runner secured to the shaft. The runner includes a crown, a band and a plurality of runner blades. Each blade is defined by an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. At least one of the blades includes a leading blade portion with a first slot along a rear edge thereof and a trailing blade portion with a second slot along a front edge thereof. The leading and trailing blade portions are fixedly secured together along their front and rear edges so that the first and second slots cooperate to form an integral gas passage in the at least one blade. The at least one blade further includes a means for discharging gas from the channel to a location adjacent the trailing edge.

Abstract: An optimal start programmer for starting a heating or cooling cycle for an intermittently occupied building includes a digital counter which is enabled at the start of a pre-occupancy "search" period and accumulates counts from a timing source. A digital to analog converter is responsive to the cumulative output count of the counter circuit for generating a staircase or ramp signal which provides a time-variable set point signal during the search period. In the heating mode, the reference signal to the digital to analog converter is a signal representative of the outdoor ambient temperature; and in the cooling mode the reference is a constant signal. The operating mode of the system during the search period is determined by a mode selection circuit which is responsive to a heating mass signal and a cooling mass signal to automatically determine whether the system is to operate in a heating mode, a cooling mode or an inhibit mode in which neither the boilers nor the chillers are actuated.