ALDEN TURBINE BY ALDEN RESEARCH LABORATORY AND VOITH HYDRO

A win-win solution: efficiency increased and fish mortality reduced

Combining performance and low fish mortality is a often a complex target to reach when fish passage technology is involved. Alden Research Laboratory and Voith Hydro collaborated to achieve that goal with the development of the Alden turbine. The great improvement, made with an innovative runner concept, is brought by the slower rotational speed and the fact that only three blades are featured. The blades have been designed to permit easy passage for fish, with threefold action: minimized shear, pressure change rates and minimum pressure within the water passage. The expected results are bound to convince all potential users: survival rates should be, on average, between 98% and 100%! We swear! No April Fool’s day joke here!