Reliability assessment of a stochastic-flow distribution network with carbon emission constraint

Abstract

• Emission is incorporated into reliability analysis of a distribution network • A new performance indicator is proposed to assess a distribution network • An MP based algorithm is developed to compute the new indicator • A real case study of a fruit distribution network is presented This paper proposes a new reliability assessment for a distribution network with carbon emission constraint where a node represents a supplier, a distribution center, or a market, and an arc connecting a pair of nodes represents a carrier. The available capacity of each carrier (e.g., number of vehicles) is stochastic due to unexpected events. In this sense, such a distribution network is considered to be a stochastic-flow distribution network (SFDN). In addition, transportation emissions that have direct hazardous effects on environment and human health are becoming the major concern in the process of commodity distribution. Thus, SFDN reliability with carbon emission constraint, defined as the probability that the network can successfully deliver a specified quantity of goods from the source to the destination with the total transportation emissions no more than a given limitation, is taken as a key performance indicator for distribution activity. Grounded on minimal paths (MPs), an algorithm is proposed to calculate the new indicator. A simple example is provided to illustrate the procedure, and then, a real fruit distribution network is adopted to demonstrate the utility of the proposed algorithm.