Availability Maximization of Supervised Protective Systems for Nuclear Reactors

This Note analyzes the availability of supervised protective systems for nuclear reactors. Failure and repair times are assumed to be exponentially distributed. The availability is maximized, subject to a given fixed amount of resources, by determining the optimum distribution of resources between supervision and repair facilities and by selecting the optimum active-inactive times of the supervisor. The mathematical formulation employs a Markov model continuous in time and alternating between two and three discrete states. Maximization of availability is achieved by using a modified pattern search technique. Computer results illustrate the usefulness of the approach.