Optimal preventive maintenance policies for a shock model with given damage level

Abstract

PurposeThis paper considers and discusses analytically the optimal preventive maintenance (PM) policies of aged plants such as fossil‐fired power plants.Design/methodology/approachShocks are assumed to occur at a nonhomogeneous Poisson process and the total damage due to each shock is additive. The system undergoes the PM at a certain time or the total damage exceeds a managerial level. The expected cost rate until PM is derived and optimal policies which minimizes it are discussed.FindingsThere exists a unique optimal time (T*) or managerial level (k*) which minimizes the expected cost rate. But there does not exist a positive pair (T*, k*), simultaneously.Research limitations/implicationsThe damage occurrence distribution is assumed to be nonhomogeneous Poisson one.Practical implicationsUseful methods to consider the optimal PM policies for power plant engineers.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to users of aged power plants economically and practically.