Major research issues/sites:

Studying organic and inorganic matter (fertilizers) spreading.

Assessing the intrinsic performances of equipment and material (by assessing the longitudinal and transversal distribution of spreading, mapping the spread pattern produced by the machines in 3D, studying the behaviour of products to determine their aerodynamic features and their spreadability, testing the equipment according to European standard protocols).

Reducing environmental impact and optimising the efficiency of spreading processes.

Supporting manufacturers and stakeholders in the innovation and promotion of the concept of ecotechnology applied to spreading (by working with manufacturers' design offices to look for and develop innovative solutions, assess and improve them, optimising and automating the editing of machine setting charts, forecasting and eco-assessing the resulting distribution).

Providing benchmark measures for the development of public policies.

Short technical description:

• 2 test beds for the performance of the application of organic and inorganic products
• Associated laboratories
• Fast high-resolution camera

The two benches allow for:

• Experimental Research
• Support for research departments of industrial sector (product + machine)
• (Eco) Performance evaluation
• Experimental modelling and digital simulation
• Mechatronic design and prototyping

Other resources at the same site: offices, areas for scale-modelling, instrumentation and integration of on-board electronic and computer technologies, prototype workshop, rheology characterisation laboratory, digital simulation (CFD and DEM), 140-ha farm to set up experiments in real conditions.

Specific features/uniqueness:

The centre of research and experimentation on Spreading and the Environment (PEE) consists of two platforms, both unique in Europe:

• Cemib for the spreading of mineral products
• Cemob for the spreading of organic products

Options and conditions for visiting scientists:

CEMIB and CEMOB benches are open laboratories for research, subject to times constraints.

Please contact directly the staff for any question.

Unit Cost of use and principles of costing:

Costs vary regarding the project, the interest and potential benefits to Irstea.

For evaluation projects, costs are betwen 7 and 10k€ per week regarding the complexity, the number of configuration to be tested, etc.

Please contact directly the staff for any question.