Interval Pinch Analysis for Resource Conservation Networks with Epistemic Uncertainties

Abstract

Pinch Analysis helps in achieving sustainable development through conserving resources in various source–sink resource conservation networks. Diverse applications and methodologies of Pinch Analysis primarily consider only exact and precise parameters without accounting for variabilities and uncertainties. With the unavailability of past data and lack of proper understanding of different operations involved, designers have to account for epistemic uncertainties during synthesizing source–sink networks. Such epistemic uncertainties can be represented as interval numbers, with upper and lower limits. An interval linear programming formulation, incorporating uncertain network parameters as interval numbers, is developed in this paper to address resource conservations in real-world problems. Two alternate approaches, a fuzzy satisfaction approach and a novel best–worst method, are proposed and solved using the principles of Pinch Analysis. Proposed methodologies to address the interval Pinch Analysis are illustrated through diverse examples (such as water conservation networks, industrial solvent selections to reduce environmental risk, and biochar-based carbon management networks), and proposed approaches are compared. It is concluded that the range of optimal resource requirement is lower for the best–worst approach with significantly reduced options for topological trap due to pinch-jump. Furthermore, the underlying physical understandings of Pinch Analysis are explored, and their implications to appropriately handle epistemic uncertainties during the synthesis of such networks are demonstrated.

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