Reliability Improvement of a Multistage Reciprocating Compressor with Redundancies Using Markov Approach

Abstract

In this paper, a multistage reciprocating compressor system is considered to study, analyze and improve its reliability by incorporating the redundancies using Markov approach. In Markov method, the reliability is assessed by creating state space model and deriving probabilistic equations of all the states. The developed equations are further solved with the help of a MATLAB. Constant failure and repair rates are considered for the different components in the system. Standby redundancy has been employed to enhance the system reliability. System reliability value for the basic system model, i.e. Model 1 at 10,000[Formula: see text]h is 0.1252 that has been increased by using standby redundancies in Model 4 with no repair to 0.6428 and with repair to 0.9374. This work will be helpful to the manufacturers, users, researchers and others by the application, and implementation of the proposed methodology.