Evaluation of TPGU using entropy - improved TOPSIS - GRA method in China

Area of Science:

• Energy Systems Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Operations Research

Background:

• China heavily relies on thermal power generation, necessitating efficient and clean energy production.
• Evaluating thermal power generation units (TPGU) is crucial for improving performance and environmental impact.
• Existing evaluation methods may lack the comprehensive accuracy required for modern energy systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a comprehensive evaluation index system for TPGU.
• To develop an accurate and effective method for assessing TPGU performance.
• To provide insights for cleaner production in thermal power generation.

Main Methods:

• Development of a TPGU evaluation index system with 20 secondary indicators across four aspects: reliability, economics, technical supervision, and major operations.
• Application of the entropy weight method to determine index weights.
• Integration of Mahalanobis Distance improved Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) with Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) for comprehensive evaluation.

Main Results:

• The integrated TOPSIS-GRA method, utilizing a re-established coordinate system, demonstrated higher accuracy in evaluating TPGU.
• Comprehensive evaluation values for five 600MW units were calculated, ranging from 0.3551 to 0.6168.
• The method effectively evaluates TPGU operations, highlighting its significance for cleaner production.

Conclusions:

• The proposed evaluation method offers a more accurate assessment of TPGU compared to traditional approaches.
• Effective TPGU evaluation is vital for advancing cleaner production in the thermal power sector.
• Suggestions for clean production of TPGU are provided, alongside identified innovation points and limitations.