Simulation model to calculate the indices of reliability of redundant radio electronic systems

Abstract

Purpose . To define quantitative estimates of reliability indices of redundant radio electronic systems, the methods of reliability theory, analytical methods or simulation modeling are applied. This paper describes the application of these methods for systems of diverse complexity, as well as the complex of programs “Dialogue” developed for the calculation of reliability indices. Methods. The main obstacle for wide application of the simulation modeling method to obtain the reliability indices is high labor intensity of the creation of these models. The current software tools are not very useful. This problem can be solved using the developed complex of programs “Dialogue”. This is achieved by creating the simulation models programs automatically on the basis of input initial data. The time of creation of a model is determined by the time of the input. Generating of the simulation models is based on the principle that if the system’s behavior in case of failures is determined only by its scope structure, connections between components, failure criteria and redundancy switches, i.e. when the system’s response to a failure of its component is uniquely defined in advance, then it will be possible to create models with equal structures for the systems with any configurations. It helps to create the basis for the initial text of the model, common for all simulation models of this type. Such basis forms a permanent part of the model, and the data which define the specifics of failure behavior of the concrete system, are set in form of insertions to the main text. Results . The complex of programs that is being described is intended to calculate the reliability indices of different technical systems using simulation models, and its consists of the program for the description of system to be simulated “Dialogue-OS”, the program for the model synthesis “Dialogue-Synthesis” and special sub-programs combined to a separate library. The complex helps to create specialized simulation models of redundant systems which undergo statistical tests, and based on the obtained results the reliability indices are defined. Using the complex “Dialogue” we can obtain the following reliability indices: 1) probability of reliable operation for a predetermined period of time, 2) failure rate at the end of a predetermined period of time, 3) mean time to failure, 4) data to build a graph of dependence of the probability of reliable operation on time, 5) data to build a graph of dependence of the failure rate on time. Conclusion. This article provides the results of calculations carried out by theoretical methods, and by the method of simulation modeling that show a good coincidence (relative error is not more than 1%). The complex “Dialogue” makes it possible to calculate the reliability indices of redundant radio-electronic systems of any complexity with accuracy sufficient for practice. It should be noted that the complex “Dialogue” allows for creating the simulation model of reliability for redundant radio-electronic systems, whose reliability characteristics can not be calculated by theoretical methods due to their complexity.