[01] Ikpe Aniekan Essienubong, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. [02] Owunna Ikechukwu, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. [03] P. O. Ebunilo, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

The kinetic energy of a car is enabled by one of its most important components known as the wheel and depending on the weight and strength of the wheel, the car may require more or less torque to overcome the drag force acting in opposite direction of the car. In principle, a car with heavy body parts such as the wheel may have some limitation in terms of the speed, general performance, fuel consumption, CO₂ emission etc compared to wheels produced from light weight materials. However, fuel consumption has remained a major concern to automobile industries in recent times, as this requires huge operational cost to enable auto users shuttle the required distance (kilometres). Consequently, CO2 which is a major Green House Gas (GHG) that results in global warming is generated at the detriment of public health and surrounding environment. This paper presents a cradle to gate life cycle assessment of two car wheel produced from aluminium alloy and high strength low alloy steel. CES software 2014 was used to conduct a full Eco-audit for cradle to gate life cycle of both auto wheels and the result was used to calculate energy consumption and CO₂ emission at the USE phase of the aluminium and steel wheel in a distance of 180,000Km. From the energy breakeven point which occurred at a distance of 28,000Km with energy consumption of 850MJ (in terms of fuel consumption), aluminium alloy wheel consumed energy of 322MJ and 851MJ by steel wheel to cover a distance of 180,000Km. Also, from the CO₂ breakeven point which occurred at a distance of 28,000Km with CO₂ emission of 60Kg, aluminium alloy wheel constituted CO₂ emission of 22Kg and 60.7Kg by steel wheel to cover a distance of 180,000Km. However, aluminium alloy wheel saved 529MJ of energy and 38.7Kg of CO₂ to cover 180,000Km distance. Hence, it was concluded that aluminium alloy wheel is more economical in terms of fuel consumption and CO₂ emission compared to steel wheel, though steel wheel has a higher strength than aluminium alloy wheel in real life applications

Automobile Wheel, Energy, Environment, Emission, Fuel Consumption, Global Warming, Weight

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