An Approach for Life Cycle Assessment of Electricity Generation at Gas-HFO Internal Combustion Engines in a Central Station

Juan-Pedro Hernández Touset¹, Jandecy Cabral Leite², Iván-Leandro Rodríguez Rico¹, Alcimar de Jesus França³, Elena-Rosa Dominguez¹, Oiama de Assis Guedes³, Italo-Jorge Tavares Jimenez², Arnaldo Herrera Artiles¹, Maylier Pérez Gil¹

¹Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Santa Clara, Cuba.
²ITEGAM-Instituto de Tecnologia e Educação Galileo da Amazônia, Manaus, Brasil.
³Companhia Energética Manauara S.A., Manaus, Brasil.

DOI: 10.4236/oalib.1100765                

Abstract

This paper applies the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as an assessment tool to quantify the environmental impacts associated with electricity generation by internal combustion engines. Steps, resources and/or supplies that have the greatest impacts during the life cycle of electricity generation are identified to contribute with measures of cleaner production in companies with similar power generation. The goal of this study is to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the production of 1552 kWh of electricity by gas-HFO internal combustion engines, considering a scenario that responds to use of lubricating oil, oily water treatment, collection and transportation of sludge. The study of additives and contaminants from lubricating oil is included, taking into account that it is a complex task for life cycle inventory considering limitations to get data. Arising from the use of the program SimaPro we get that the greatest impact are the lubricating oil use and transport on respiration of inorganic products and the use of fossil fuels. Most environmental impacts are concentrated in the use of lubricating oil and transportation.

Keywords

Additives, Internal Combustion Engines, Life Cycle Assessment, Lubricating Oil

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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