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

Abstract

Purpose

This paper considers and discusses analytically the optimal preventive maintenance (PM) policies of aged plants such as fossil‐fired power plants.

Design/methodology/approach

Shocks 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.

Findings

There 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/implications

The damage occurrence distribution is assumed to be nonhomogeneous Poisson one.

Practical implications

Useful methods to consider the optimal PM policies for power plant engineers.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to users of aged power plants economically and practically.

Citation

Hua Qian, C., Ito, K. and Nakagawa, T. (2005), "Optimal preventive maintenance policies for a shock model with given damage level", Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 216-227. https://doi.org/10.1108/13552510510616432