An exploratory analysis of biofuel under the utopian environment

Abstract

This paper addresses the application of MCDM in the selection of biofuel as discussed elaborately here which encompasses different aspects like fuel properties, engine performances, and emissions. Selection of the right kind of biofuel is essential in so far as technical, social, environmental and economic benefits are concerned. The authors here opine that selection of biofuel is strategically as well as inevitably important when different biofuel performances exhibit a conflicting scenario or performances of different blends of biofuel(s) seem almost the same. Further, it is also stated that the selection of any biofuel arbitrarily can call for erratic performances. The highest beneficial effect of biofuel has been explored here by taking a strategic decision. The authors also highlight here the importance of applying decision-making method under the fuzzy environment using the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method. Five types of biofuels have been examined here for the present studies together with petrodiesel as a reference one. Real life experimental data have been taken into consideration for this present decision making calculation excluding analysis of experimental results in case of each biofuel under experiment. Ranking of the alternatives obtained has been further studied through sensitivity analysis here keeping an eye on finding out of the most robust biofuel. Fuzzy TOPSIS method applied here helps selects decisively that the neem-petrodiesel blend is the most preferred one and also establishes by applying sensitivity analysis that this blend is the most robust one.