Designing a Multi-echelon and Multi-product Sustainable Biomass Supply Chain Network Considering Input Material Diversity

Rajabian, A.; Hosseini, S. M. H.; Amoozad Khalili, H.; Amirkhan, M.

doi:10.24200/sci.2024.63878.8640

Designing a Multi-echelon and Multi-product Sustainable Biomass Supply Chain Network Considering Input Material Diversity

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

A. Rajabian ¹

S. M. H. Hosseini ²

H. Amoozad Khalili ³

M. Amirkhan ¹

¹ Department of Industrial Engineering, Aliabad Katoul Branch, Islamic Azad University, Aliabad Katoul, Iran

² Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran

³ Department of Industrial Engineering, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran

10.24200/sci.2024.63878.8640

Abstract

Biomass sources are receiving increasing attention in the field of academic research and manufacturing as a suitable alternative to fossil fuels due to their renewable capability and economic advantage. This study addresses a multi-echelon and multi-product biomass supply chain network considering input material diversity. The first layer of the considered supply chain consists of five supply centers of Jatropha, Norouzak‎‎‎, Oleander‎‎, microalgae, and waste cooking of oil. The second layer dedicated to oil extraction and pre-refining of waste cooking of oil. Biorefineries are considered in the third layer and finally, production centers of the final products including drug, biodiesel, and cosmetics are located in the fourth layer. A mixed-integer bi-objective mathematical programming model is proposed to minimize the total expected cost as well as the environmental impact simultaneously. Besides of solving the problem using data of a case study, sensitivity analysis is conducted to investigate the effect of variations in the capacity of centers as well as demand on two objective functions and the final values of decision variables. The result shows efficiency of the proposed model in solving the problem at hand and providing proper alternatives for managers in different various situations.

Keywords

Biomass

Supply chain

Sustainability

Material Diversity

Subjects