The food and agricultural science research carried out at Aarhus University is among the best in the world. It ranks as number nine on the U.S. News Best Global Universities ranking and is thus the best university in Denmark and number three in Europe. One of the reasons is great research facilities and a close cooperation with the industry. We will visit the research centre in Foulum and the Trip will start at 9:00 from Ny Munkegade in Aarhus and return to the same destination at 16:00. Coffee breaks will be provided and a lunch buffet will be served in the canteen at Foulum. The total bus trip will be app. 120 km. Cost: 300 DKK / 40 Euro.
Biogas plant
The Biogas Plant at AU Foulum is used for research in technologies for management and treatment of animal manure from animals to plants, including research in technologies for separation of manure and biogas production from manure to energy crops. Biogas and manure separation systems are a research area where knowledge and techniques contributes to the exploitation of energy from animal manure and to clarify the possibilities of solving the problem of an uneven geographic distribution of nutrients from animal manure. The plant consists of four reactors of 15 L, four reactors of 200 L, two reactors of 10 m3, two reactors of 30 m3 and the main digester of 1200 m3. A plant for upgrading biogas has just been added.
Biorefining
Biomasses can act as building blocks for much more than just energy. Conversion into polymer products and composite materials are especially interesting with respect to re-cycling of materials and being an alternative to oil-based products. Research into refinery of biomasses is a developing area as well as incineration, pyrolysis and gasification. You will see our latest biorefinery equipment for extraction of amino acids and a Hydro Thermal Liquefaction plant for production of crude oil out of biomasses.
Livestock housing climate laboratory
The Livestock Housing Climate Laboratory at AU Foulum opened in 2011 and is used for research on livestock housing interior design with the main emphasis on control of emissions through ventilation. Research on the overall housing environment can focus on both the functionality of interior design, operational management, feed, ammonia volatilisation, dust, etc. – everything that influences the indoor climate. The effect of livestock housing on the external environment can also be investigated.
Air Physics Labratory
The Air Physics Lab (APL) at the Department of Engineering, Aarhus University - Foulum is a well-equipped laboratory focusing on the study of airflow dynamics including indoor air motion, air quality, ventilation design and control, heat and mass transfer as well as airborne particle transport etc. The research group in the APL has significant expertise on large space ventilation, indoor climate, air distribution and air quality control and can provide both international high level experimental works and competent Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations.
AU Foulumgaard
Foulumgaard was established as an experimental station through the purchase of several properties when Research Centre Foulum was established in 1983. Approx. 90 ha belong to Foulumgaard, of which 70 ha are currently used for conventional field trials and 20 ha for organic field trials. About 60 ha of the total field area can be irrigated via permanent water pipes.
The soil type is soil quality 4 (fine loamy sand) with the following texture at a depth of 0-20 cm: Humus 3%, clay 7%, silt 10%, fine sand 46% and coarse sand 34%.
At Foulumgaard, system research areas are set up with three set crop rotations. Here, special workshop areas are established in which new ideas can be tested. These areas are at the disposal of both organic and conventional crop research.
Foulumgaard also has at its disposal facilities and techniques for handling a range of different trial tasks, such as value testing of agricultural plants, soil tillage trials, measuring of nutrient leaching, manure trials and trials on growing coarse fodder. Currently, a larger area is used of energy crop production.
Danish Cattle Research Centre
The Danish Cattle Research Centre (DKC) at Foulum (Jutland) opened at 3 November 2000. The Centre is financed by Danish farmers' organiz
ations and built on land leased from University of Aarhus in Foulum, Denmark. The purpose of this centre is to have ultramodern facilities for practice-oriented cattle research. The resulting know-how is to contribute to continuous development and adaptation of Danish cattle farming.
The centre consists of two units:
DKC-Burrehøjvej: Cowhouse for 210 dairy cows with milking robots as well as housing facilities for 150 offspring, 150 slaughter calves and 100 young calves. The buildings are modern Danish cattle houses, characterised by loose-housing system, uninsulated units and natural ventilation. The centre also includes office, conference and personnel facilities. The total area is more than 6,000 sq m
DKC-Blichers Allé: Cattle barns including facilities for dairy cows, calves and young stock with focus on performing many different kinds of research and development projects. The overall capacity of the facilities makes it possible to perform experiments including from 1 to more than 70 animals per trial. The units are arranged for maximum flexibility regarding form of housing and project goals.
Agro Business Park
Agro Business Park (ABP) is a science park with a strong focus on entrepreneurship and innovation within agriculture, food, bioenergy and environmental technologies.
ABP accomplish a considerable number of projects – all with the aim of supporting entrepreneurship and innovation in the sector. This goes for both companies, which participate in our company network, and especially for the entrepreneurs and the development departments, which make use of Agro Business Park as incubator.
As an incubator, ABP offer facilities, network and guidance, which ensure that the potential of each entrepreneur and development department is fully optimised. The service package, which includes amongst other things, reception services, IT, conference rooms, a social environment, and much more, is an important foundation. Furthermore, ABP offer our tenants guidance in business development, financing/accounting, projects, and so on. Finally, our many networks and projects provide great value to the tenants in Agro Business Park’s incubator environment.
DCA, Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture
