The analysis of the manufacturing and using alternative fuel – a mixture of rapeseed oil and alcohol

The following article is an analysis of designed process of manufacturing a mixture of 50% rapeseed oil and 50% alcohol and using it as a fuel. The analyzed eco-fuel is completely based on renewable sources, and can be a good alternative to diesel fuel. The analysis was made according to the assumptions of Life Cycle Assessment, which is a method that divides the whole life cycle of the product into the unit processes. It is used especially for measuring the environmental impact of the product. The life cycle of fuel mixture in an amount of 10 000 l was divided into six unit processes: the production of oilseed and biomass on the farm, transport of rapeseed to oil extraction works, oil production, the production of alcohol from biomass, the transport of mixture into a transport company and the use of total fuel delivered by the company. The use of energy and the amount of pollutants emitted were particularly important in the analysis. Fuel mixture, the same as the analyzed, was used during the whole designed process. In the production of rape on a farm the tractor and the harvester were used, and caused highest emissions of pollutants during all steps involved in the production of fuel. Alcohol, the component of the mixture, was produced through the fermentation of biomass that cames from waste from rapeseed processing, which caused no energy consumption or emissions. The analysis shows that total emissions of harmful gases is lower than that of conventional diesel, which proves that the tested fuel mixture is more environmentally friendly.