WSEAS Transactions on Mathematics
Print ISSN: 1109-2769, E-ISSN: 2224-2880
Volume 17, 2018
Steady-State Accident Rate of a Plant Equipped with an Aging Single-Channel Trip Device
Authors: , , ,
Abstract: Protective devices are of utmost importance in industrial facilities for they have the capacity of monitoring important plant parameters and, if necessary, shut the plant down. One important feature in this case is when a protective channel undergoes aging, because this requires decisions on preventive maintenance in order to delay aging or even channel replacement, whichever is more cost-effective. We present in this paper the steady-state accident rate evaluation for a plant equipped with a single aging channel for comparing it with the transient analysis developed elsewhere by means of finite differences. The calculations are much simpler to perform and only one numerical integration is necessary. For the typical plant parameters used we concluded that the steady-state solution is not feasible because it generates quite conservative results when one considers typical proof test intervals. A sensitivity analysis on the results was also performed, which showed that the protective channel failure rate during its useful life is an important parameter. In this sense, it is not advisable to use steady-state parameters for making decisions regarding plant accident rates because the costs involved would be unsurmountable and it is concluded that finite-difference methods should be used and improved for more realistic decisions.
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Keywords: emand rate, Markovian reliability analysis, Supplementary variables, Plant accident rate, Steady-state behavior, Plant useful life
Pages: 296-303
WSEAS Transactions on Mathematics, ISSN / E-ISSN: 1109-2769 / 2224-2880, Volume 17, 2018, Art. #37