Alden Research Laboratory

The Hydraulic Testing Lab at WPI was established in 1894 on the site of an old woolen mill donated to the institute by Stephen Salisbury III.

These state of the art instruments were used by students to conduct experiments on the efficiency of full sized turbines, measure flows and head loss, and test a hydraulic ram.

[3] In 1908 a wooden rotating boom was constructed on one of the ponds on the property to test large hydraulic equipment including current meters.

Early high speed photography equipment was developed for use with strobe lights to document the effect of projectile shape on entry stability in large glass sided tanks.

Additionally, the group has helped municipal utilities to ensure proper performance of pump stations and water conveyance systems.

This addition was a major milestone in an ongoing effort to better serve clients in the U.S. and internationally Alden continues to be involved in solving flow-related engineering and environmental problems.

Alden is the largest independent supplier of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) traceable water flow meter calibrations in the United States.