RELIABILITY AND MAINTAINABILITY CONCEPTS IN GENERATING STATION DESIGN

Abstract

This thesis describes the elements of a formal Reliability and Maintainability Program which should be implemented by the electric power industry in the design of future generating stations, in order to improve their reliability and maintainability performance. The severe financial penalties of generating unit unreliability are discussed to emphasize the value of the proposed Program. Elements such as design specifications, target allocation, reliability and maintainability prediction and analysis, and design review are described, and a detailed example of reliability and maintainability target allocation to a 500 MW unit is included. Also presented are several prerequisites for an effective Reliability and Maintainability Program, such as the definition of supplier responsibility, criteria for supplier and equipment selection, data collection, and training of personnel. A reliability modelling and prediction technique known as derated state modelling is investigated. This technique is applied to the design of a typical boiler feed system, to show how a suitable design may be evolved with the use of reliability and maintainability.