National industrial risk cluster

Many French regions and businesses are concerned by industrial risks and, given the human, economic and environmental factors at stake, the French State has identified industrial risk control as a key theme and stepped up the research and prevention schemes available in this area as a result.

Industrial risk refers to an accident, associated with a probability of occurrence, arising on an industrial site that could have immediate serious consequences on staff, neighbouring populations, property and/or the environment.

Background

• December 1998 : setup of the PNRI in Bourges by decision of the French State during the Interministerial Committee for Territorial Development and Planning (CIADT).
• January 2001 : setup of the National Industrial Risk Centre (CNRI).
• April 2007 : in line with the wishes of the French State, local authorities, Orléans University, Bourges ENSI and the CNRI, oversight of the Research and Transfer of Technology actions was entrusted to Bourges ENSI.
• April 2008 : signature of a Research Partnership Convention so as to develop research programmes between companies, research centres and higher education and research institutions.
• 2013 : with the Research Partnership Convention (which founded the PNRI) reaching its end date, it is renewed for a period of five years, with the research themes being extended.

In april 2008, the PNRI brought together 8 partners including companies, research centres, universities and schools (ENSIB, INERIS, CEA, IRSN, ENSMA, Poitiers University, Orléans University, DGATT) and this has since increased to 15 at national level (Nexter Munitions, MBDA, Air Liquide, CEDREM, UTT, INSA Rouen, APSYS-EADS).
The PNRI has been expanding ever since it was first set up, both in terms of its partners and the amount it receives for the contracts it manages. As such, all of the partners expressed their desire to take these actions even further by extending the partnership and themes of the PNRI so as to help promote the Bourges site at the highest scientific level in the domain of risks.

Role and missions

The objective is to reinforce a technology cluster at the INSA Centre Val de Loire on the control of industrial risks by making use of existing resources in the fields of higher education, research and industry.

Objectives

Bring together the skills and resources of academic and industrial partners, in risk control, with a view to providing solutions to the challenges faced by businesses and regions.

Missions

• Facilitate/Coordinate relations: Companies/Research/Education.
• Support the emergence of technology transfer or research projects between companies and research organisations (collaborative contracts, ANR, ERDF, etc.).
• Promote research and innovation work.

Research themes

• Global security
• Physical, energy and mechanical processes
  - The energy aspects of explosions
  - Energy storage
  - The specific case of hydrogen
  - The mechanical aspects of explosions
  - The case of thermal runaway
• Risk processes and their "simulator" aspects, surveillance and "safe" control, and maintenance
  - Simulator aspect
  - Surveillance aspect
  - “Safe” control aspect of complex systems
  - Maintenance aspect
• Resilience and crisis management

Research and coordination of innovative projects at the PNRI are overseen by the INSA Centre Val de Loire.

Partners

• INSA Centre Val de Loire
• INERIS (National competence centre for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection)
• IRSN (Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety)
• CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• ISAE-ENSMA (National Graduate School for Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering)
• Poitiers University
• Orléans University, which shares remit with the INSA Centre Val de Loire of the Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory Energy, Mechanical and Systems Engineering (PRISME)
• DGA Techniques Terrestres
• NEXTER MUNITIONS
• MBDA Bourges
• AIR LIQUIDE
• CEDREM
• UTT (Troyes University of Technology)
• INSA Rouen
• APSYS-EADS