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Sustainability prioritization of sewage sludge to energy scenarios with hybrid-data consideration: a fuzzy decision-making framework based on full consistency method and fusion ranking model

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Abstract

This work proposed a novel mathematical framework for the sustainability assessment of sewage sludge to energy (SStE) scenarios, by resorting to fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (MCMD) methods. In which, an evaluation system including twelve criteria from four dimensions was introduced, while the fuzzy triangular number (TFN) was used to address the hybrid-data issue in the decision-making. More importantly, four fuzzy MCDM methods were used to make the following methodological contributions: (1) the fuzzy full consistency method (FUCOM) was extended into uncertain conditions to determine the weights easily and reliably, which preserves the consistency in ambiguous, subjective judgments; (2) a novel TFN-based fusion ranking model was developed by aggregating three fuzzy MCDM approaches, which not only takes the hybrid data as input information for decision-making (by combining the TFN) but also promotes the confidence in final prioritization (by reconciling different sequences). Four illustrative SStE scenarios were studied to test the feasibility of the model. Besides, the effectiveness and advantages of the model were verified by results comparison and discussion.

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Abbreviations

AHP:

Analytic hierarchy process

AD:

Anaerobic digestion

BWM:

Best-worst method

CINC:

Co-incineration in cement kilns

DEMATEL:

Decision making trial and evaluation laboratory

FUCOM:

Full consistency method

GWP:

Global warming potential

GRA:

Grey relation analysis

LCA:

Life cycle assessment

LCC:

Life cycle costing

MCDM:

Multi-criteria decision-making

PRSRV:

Projection ranking by similarity to referencing vector

SCWO:

Supercritical water oxidation

SCWG:

Supercritical water gasification

SS:

Sewage sludge

SStE:

Sewage sludge to energy

SWM:

Sum weighted method

TFN:

Triangular fuzzy number

TOPSIS:

Technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution

WWTPs:

Wastewater treatment plants

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Funding

This research is supported by the Foundation of Chongqing Chemical Industry Vocational College (Grand No. HY2019-KJRC01), Science and Technology Research Program of Chongqing Municipal Education Commission (Grant No. KJQN201901512), Foundation of Chongqing University of Science & Technology (Grant No. 2019001), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21776025).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Chongqing Chemical Industry Vocational College, Chongqing, 401220, China

    Chengli Tang & Nicheng Chen

  2. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Science & Technology, Chongqing, 401331, China

    Di Xu

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  1. Chengli Tang
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Correspondence to Di Xu.

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Tang, C., Xu, D. & Chen, N. Sustainability prioritization of sewage sludge to energy scenarios with hybrid-data consideration: a fuzzy decision-making framework based on full consistency method and fusion ranking model. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 5548–5565 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10544-2

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