Abstract

The objective of this work is to present sustainability analysis and performance evaluation of six hydropower units through exergy-based indices. The method of exergy analysis, based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics, was utilized to evaluate system irreversibility and environmental impact. The Exergy Efficiency, Sustainability Efficiency Index (SEI), and Exergy Ecological Index (ECEI) were determined and plotted in MATLAB. The efficiency and exergy performance results show that Unit 6 had the highest exergy efficiency at 89.3%, and Unit 1 had the least at 82.1%. The values of SEI and ECEI showed that elevated exergy efficiency contributes to increasing sustainability and ecological performance in parallel. The results demonstrate that exergy analysis can provide a broader and more accurate measure of system performance than energy analysis in hydroelectric power systems. The approach shows that local reference environmental conditions must be incorporated to establish system equilibrium. It also suggests that exergy analysis should be used as a standard tool for the optimization and performance management of hydropower plants. Its integration would help the operators take measures against malfunction, minimize losses and improve the environmental and thermodynamic sustainability of energy systems.

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