Putting Tractors to the Test Bench
1. Presentation
Characterization of the technique
Description of the technique:
| Rémy Ballot | INRA | remy.ballot(at)grignon.inra.fr | Grignon (78) |
The engine test bench allows measuring power, torque, fuel consumption, and injection pump flow rate. Comparing the obtained curves with official curves allows diagnosing potential malfunctions and may lead to recommendations for adjustments, repairs...
Implementation period
Spatial scale of implementation Farm
Application of the technique to...
All crops: Not applicable
All soil types: Not applicable
All climatic contexts: Not applicable
Regulation
2. Services provided by the technique
3. Effects on the sustainability of the cropping system
"Environmental" criteria
Effect on air quality: Increasing
acidification: DECREASE
GHG emissions: DECREASE
Effect on fossil resource consumption: Decreasing
fossil energy consumption: DECREASE
Other: No effect (neutral)
Pollutant transfer to water (N, P, pesticides ...): no effect (neutral)
Pollutant transfer to air (N, P, pesticides ...): Decrease
Using the test bench allows diagnosing malfunctions leading to overconsumption. Carrying out the recommended adjustments and repairs reduces fuel consumption and related sulfur dioxide emissions.
Fossil energy consumption: Decrease
Using the test bench allows diagnosing malfunctions leading to overconsumption. Carrying out the recommended adjustments and repairs reduces fuel consumption: 50% of diagnosed tractors have at least one anomaly causing an average overconsumption of 1.5 liters per hour. For a tractor used 600 hours per year, the potential fuel saving is therefore 900 liters per year.
GHG emissions: Decrease
Using the test bench allows diagnosing malfunctions leading to overconsumption. Carrying out the recommended adjustments and repairs reduces fuel consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions: 50% of diagnosed tractors have at least one anomaly. For a tractor used 600 hours per year, the emission of 3.5 tons of carbon dioxide per year on average can be avoided.
"Agronomic" criteria
Productivity: No effect (neutral)
Soil fertility: No effect (neutral)
Water stress: No effect (neutral)
Functional Biodiversity: No effect (neutral)
"Economic" criteria
Operating costs: No effect (neutral)
Mechanization costs: Decreasing
Using the test bench represents a cost of about €100, plus any necessary adjustments and repairs. However, this diagnosis allows reducing fuel consumption by 1.5 liters per hour on average, i.e., a saving of about €500-600 per year for a tractor operating 600 hours annually.
Margin: Increasing
Using the test bench allows increasing profitability by reducing mechanization costs.
"Social" criteria
Working time: No effect (neutral)
The time to perform the test bench is about 1 hour.
Observation time: No effect (neutral)
4. Organisms favored or disadvantaged
Favored Bioagressors
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
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Disadvantaged Bioagressors
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
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Favored Auxiliaries
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
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Disadvantaged Auxiliaries
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
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Favored climatic and physiological accidents
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Details |
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Disadvantaged climatic and physiological accidents
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Details |
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5. For more information
- Engine test bench diagnosis
- -FNCUMA
Technical brochure, 2007
6. Keywords
Bioagressor control method:
Mode of action:
Type of strategy regarding pesticide use:
