Organisation of methyl-ester production from rapeseed in Lithuania

Abstract

energy consumption for rapaseed growing and processing it into methyl ester with different level of rape productivity was calculated and compared. Agricultural machines popular in Lithuania and cheap cold rapaseed oil extraction and transesterifikation equipment were used for agricultural work. Indices of rapeseed oil acid methyl ester life cycle, process and ecological efficiency were determined. It was found that when rapeseed productivity is lower than 2 t/ha, rapeseed methyl ester could not be treated as fuel. Due to the relatively rapid rapaseed oil fat acid methyl ester carbon cycling, CO2 emission does not cause the greenhouse effect, and if it replaces mineral diesel fuel, CO2 emission in atmosphere would be reduced by 782,26 g/kWh. Deployment scheme of processing enterprises according to rapeseed growing areas in different regions of the country was suggested, capacities of the enterprises were identified. In order to reduce production costs and to bring RME production closer to rapeseed growers and rapeseed meal users, it is expedient to separate oil extraction from biofuel production. Technological schemes of oil mills and their deployment layout were suggested.