Flow aeration on the operating spillway at the Sayano-Shushenskoe hydroelectric station

Conclusion Protection of the Sayano-Shushenskoe spillway from cavitation erosion is achieved by an aeration sill behind the radial gate and an aeration groove at elevation 35.25 m. The air content in the near-bottom layer (without consideration of its increase in the prototype) will be at least 6–8%, which is sufficient to eliminate cavitation erosion. As a consequence it seems possible to reduce the grade of concrete in the spillway with a strength of 400 kgf/ cm² to grade 300 kgf/cm². Protection of the upper concrete-hauling trestle from splashes is provided by deflectors. Translated from Gidrotekhnicheskoe Stroitel'stvo, No. 1, pp. 10–14, January, 1978.