An Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)-Based Multi-criteria Evaluation and Priority Analysis for Best FWH Substitution of Solar Aided Thermal Power Plant

Abstract

Utilization of solar energy in lieu of traditional feed water heating process in thermal power plants could be a milestone when the world is impending on to analyze critically the present scenario of energy consumption and liberation of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. For it to occur, a theoretical cycle is thus proposed, which utilizes a feed water heat exchanger (FWHE) based on solar assisted system (parabolic trough), which would work in tandem to the heaters of a 210 MWe thermal power plant. Out of the listed six cases (LPH-2 to HPH-7), a congruent alternative has been proposed in this work, which relies on multi-criteria decision approach, based on analytical hierarchy process (AHP). AHP has been applied on the listed criteria, i.e., improvement in energy efficiency of plant, improvement in exergy efficiency of plant, Reduction in unit heat rate, improvement in exergy efficiency of solar field, solar contribution, and reduction in fuel consumption. After a thorough analysis, HPH-6 has been found as the most suitable alternative and the least one is LPH-2. The outcomes relied on its weightage and the relative significance/importance that have been assigned to them. Outcomes could differ with a change in the significance of various criteria, based on the necessities of the situation.