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AVAILABILITY ANALYSIS OF PARALLEL TRANSIT FUEL SYSTEM

IN PETROL ENGINE UNDER HEAD OF LINE REPAIR
Reena Garg1
1

Assistant Professor Mathematics, YMCA University of Science & Technology, Faridabad 121006

Abstract
In this paper, the author has considered a fuel system in petrol engine with one alternative fuel source (like LPG, CNG etc.)
keeping in standby arrangement and followed online through a perfect switching device. The whole system can fail due to either
its normal working or human error. All the failures follow exponential time distribution where as all repairs follow general time
distribution.

Keywords: Fuel system, standby, exponential time distribution, general time distribution.
--------------------------------------------------------------------***-----------------------------------------------------------------1. INTRODUCTION
In this paper, the considered fuel system consists of three
subsystems, namely A, B and C, connected in series.
Subsystem A is fuel source having two units in standby
redundancy. Subsystem B consists of two units (Transfer
pump and carburetor) connected in series while subsystem C
having N-cylinders [identical] in series and is of j-out-ofN:G nature, fig-1 shows the system configuration. Head-ofline policy is being adopted for repair purpose. The concept
of human-error is also incorporated to make the model more
compatible. Laplace transform of various state probabilities,

availability and long run availability, some particular cases

and profit function for the system are obtained. Fig-2 shows
the state-transition diagram and states descriptions have
mentioned in table-1.
By using supplementary variables technique and Laplace
transform, various reliability parameters have been obtained.
One numerical example together with graphical illustration
has also been given at the end to highlight important results
of the study.

Table-1: States Description

SUBSYSTEM
SYSTEMS
SUPPLEMENTARY
STATE
VARIABLE USED
A
B
C
S1
0
0
0
0
Nil
S2
0
F
0
F
u
S3
0
0
(N-j)0
0
Nil
S4
0
0
F
F
v
S5
1F
0
(N-j)0
0
Nil
S6
1F
F
(N-j)0
F
y
S7
0
F
(N-j)0
F
u
S8
1F
0
0
0
Nil
S9
1F
F
0
F
y
S10
FH
FH
FH
FH
m
S11
F
0
0
F
n
S12
F
0
(N-j)0
F
r
O: All Operable; F : all Failed; FH : failure due to human-error; rF :r units have failed; rO : r units are operable.
STATE

2. ASSUMPTIONS

3.

The following assumptions have been associated with this

model:
1. Initially, all the units are new and the system is in
good condition of full efficiency.
2. Repair has given only when the system is in failed
condition and a single service channel is available.

4.

After repair, system works like a new one and never

damages anything.
1-A unit is a petrol tank while 2-A unit is an
alternative fuel source (like CNG, LPG etc.) and the
perfect switching device has been used to online the
standby unit.

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3. NOTATIONS

repaired up to time s, where K=A, B, C

and s=u, v, y, n, r.

The following notations have been used throughout the

model:
: The probability that at time t, the system
PK (t )
is operable and is in Kth state, where
K=1, 3, 5, 8.
:
The probability that at time t, the system
PK (s, t )
is in rth failed state and elapsed repair
time lies in the interval
(s, s + ).
K=2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 and s=u, v, y,
u, y, m, n, r respectively.
:
Constant failure rate of 1B/2B unit and
b1 / b2
note that b1+b2=b (say).
a/c
: Constant failure rate of any unit of
subsystem A/C.
H
: Human-error rate.
K (s) : The probability that the subsystem K
will be repaired in the time interval
(s,s+) conditioned that it was not

h (m)

The probability that the system will be

repaired from state S10 in time interval
(m, m+) conditioned that it was not
repaired up to time m.

S i (x )

i ( x) exp . - i ( x)dx

Mk

:
:

Dk (s )

Mean time to repair kth unit S k (0),

for all k.
Time independent probability.

1 S

( s) / s , for all k =A,B and C.

Fig-1: System configuration

Fig-2: State-transition diagram

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4. FORMULATION OF THE MATHEMATICAL

MODEL
Using continuity argument, we obtain the following set of
difference-differential equations governing the behavior of
the system under consideration:

dt a b ( N j )c h P1 (t )

P2 (u , t ) B (u )du

(1)

P10 (m, t ) h (m)dm P4 ( , t ) c ( )d

u t B (u ) P2 (u , t ) 0

(2)
(3)

dt cj b a P3 (t ) ( N j )cP1 (t ) 0 P7 u , t B (u )du

(4)

t c ( ) P4 ( , t ) 0

(5)

dt a b P5 (t ) aP3 (t )

(6)

y t A ( y ) P6 ( y, t ) 0

(7)

u t B ( y ) P7 (u , t ) 0

(8)

dt a b P8 (t ) aP1 (t ) 0 P11 (n, t ) A (n) dn

(9)

y t A ( y ) P9 ( y, t ) 0

(10)

m t h (m) P10 (m, t ) 0

(11)

n t A ( n) P11 ( n, t ) 0

(12)

r t c ( r ) P12 ( r , t ) 0

Boundary conditions are:

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(13)

P2 (0, t ) bP1 (t )

P9 ( y, t ) A ( y )dy
(14)

P4 (0, t ) cjP3 (t )
(15)

P6 (0, t ) bP5 (t )
(16)

P7 (0, t ) bP3 (t )
(17)

P9 (0, t ) bP8 (t )
(18)

P10 (0, t ) hP1 (t )

(19)

P11 (0, t ) aP8 (t )

P12 (r , t ) c (r )dr
(20)

P12 (0, t ) aP5 (t )

Initial conditions are:
(21)

P1 (0) 1, otherwise zero.

5. SOLUTION OF THE MODEL
Taking Laplace transforms of equations (1) through (20) by
making use of (21) and then on solving them, we have
following Laplace transforms of different state probabilities:

P1 (s)

1
A( s )

b
a
C (s)
P 2 (s)

S c ( s ) S A ( s ) D B ( s )
1 a S A ( s )
A( s)
B( s) s a b B( s)

P 3 ( s)

C ( s)
A( s)

(22)
(23)

(24)

C ( s)
Dc s
A( s )

(25)

P 5 ( s)

a
C ( s)
s a b A( s)

(26)

P 6 ( s)

ab C ( s)
D A ( s)
s a b A( s)

(27)

P 4 ( s ) cj

(28)

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C ( s)
DB s
A( s)

a 1
a
C ( s)
P 8 (s)

S c ( s ) S A s

A( s ) B( s ) s a b A( s )

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P 7 ( s) b

(29)

P 9 (s) bP8 (s) DA s

P 10 ( s )

(30)
(31)

h
Dh s
A( s )

(32)

C ( s)
a
P 11 ( s) a P 8 ( s)
S c ( s) D A s
s a b A( s)

(33)

P12 ( s)

a
C ( s)
Dc ( s)
s a b A( s)

where, B(s) s b a 1 S A s

C (s)

( N j )c
s a cj b 1 S B ( s )

(34)
(35)

A(s) s a b ( N j )c h 1 S h (s) cj S c (s)C(s) bS B (s)

1

a
C (s)
abS A ( s ) S B ( s )

S c ( s) S A ( s)
B( s) s a b B( s)

and

6. ERGODIC BEHAVIOUR OF THE SYSTEM

By

making

use

of

Abels

Lemma

viz.,

(36)

right exists, we have the following time independent state

probabilities from equations (22) through (33):

lim sF ( s) lim F (t ) F ( say) , provided the limit on

s 0

P1

1
A(0)

(37)

P2

1
aH

b a 1
M B

A(0)
a b

(38)

P3

H
A(0)

(39)

P4

cjH
Mc
A(0)

(40)

P5

aH
1

a b A(0)

(41)

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P6

abH
M
a b A(0) A

(42)

P7

bH
MB
A(0)

(43)

P8

a
aH
1

bA(0) a b

(44)

P9

a
aH
1
MA

A(0) a b

(45)

P10

h
Mh
A(0)

(46)

P11

a2
1 H M A
bA(0)

(47)

a2H
M
a bA(0) c
N j c ; and A0 d As
where, H
ds

a cj

s 0
P12

(48)

(49)

6. SOME PARTICULAR CASES

6.1 When Repairs Follow Exponential Time Distribution:
Setting S A ( s )

A / s A etc. in equations (22) through (33), we obtained:

P1 ( s )

1
E (s)

(50)

P 2 ( s)

a A 1
A 1
b
a
G( s) c

1
E ( s) s A F ( s) s a b F ( s) s c s A s B

(51)

P 3 ( s)

G ( s)
E ( s)

(52)

G (s) 1
E (s) s c

(53)

P 5 ( s)

a
G( s)
s a b E ( s)

(54)

P 6 (s)

ab G ( s ) 1
s a b E (s) s A

(55)

P 4 ( s ) cj

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P 7 ( s) b

P 8 ( s)

G(s) 1
E ( s) s B

P 10 ( s )

(56)

A
a 1
a
G( s) c

E ( s) F ( s) s a b F ( s) s c s A

P 9 (s) b P 8 (s)

(57)

(58)

1
s A

(59)

h
1
E ( s) s h

a
G( s) c 1
P11 ( s) a P 8 ( s)

s a b E (s) s c s A

P 12 ( s )

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(60)

(61)

a2
G ( s) 1
s a b E (s) s c

where,

F (s) s b

and

as
s A

G (s)

( N j )c
s a cj

E ( s ) s a b ( N j )c

bs
s B

c
b B
hs
cj
G( s)
s h
s c
s B

(62)

(63)

c A
ab A B
a
G( s)

s A s B F (s) s a b F (s) s c s A

6.2 Availability and Cost Function for the System :

Now, Laplace transform of availability of petrol engine is given by:

Pup s

( N j )c
1
a
1

s a b ( N j )c h s a cj b s a b

(64)

on inverting this, one can obtain the availability at any time t as under

Pup (t ) Qe a b( N j ) c h t Re a cj b t Se a b t
where

Q 1

( N j )c
a

( N 2 j ) c h ( N j )c h

( N j )c
( N 2 j )c h

and S

(65)

a
( N j )c h

(66)
(67)

Note that Pup 0 1

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Also, Profit function for the system, working up to the time t, is given by
(68)

K t C1 Pup t dt C 2 t C 3
t

where,

Pup t Q

1 e a b( N j ) c h t
1 e a cj b t
1 e a b t
R
S
a b ( N j )c h
a cj b
ab

(69)

where, C1 ,C2 and C3 are the revenue, repair and

establishment cost per unit time respectively also Q ,R and
S are given in the equations (66)and (67).

Availability Vs Time
1

6.3 Steady- State Availability

AVSS

a Nc a b

ba cj a b ( N j )c h

Where,

H N j c / a cj

(70)

Pup(t)-->

0.8

The steady state availability of the system is given by

0.4
0.2

(71)

0
0

6.4 Numerical Computation

Also t= 0, 1, 2,-----------10 and h=0.001,0.0015, 0.002---------- 0.01.

Table-2
Availability
1
0.976302
0.94806
0.916399
0.882266
0.846451
0.809611
0.772289
0.734929
0.697892
0.661467
0.625883
0.591317
0.557903
0.525739
0.494891

9 10

t-->

For a numerical computation, let us consider the values:

N=5, j=2, a=0.01, b=0.02, c=0.03, h=0.001, C1=Rs.5.00,
C2=Re1.00 and C3 =Rs2.00.

Time
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

0.6

Fig-3

Time
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Table-3
Profit Function
-2
-0.03425
1.853275
3.650692
5.349202
6.942611
8.426888
9.799798
11.06059
12.2097
13.24855
14.17934
15.00487
15.7284
16.35354
16.88414
17.32424
17.67793
17.94936
18.14267
18.26195

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Profit Function Vs Time

15

K(t)-->

7. CONCLUSIONS
The plots of equations (65), (68) and (70) have shown in
figs-(3), (4) and (5), respectively.
Fig-3 shows that availability of the system decreases slowly
with time initially but there after it decreases approximately
in a constant manner.

10
5

Fig-4 shows that profit with the system under consideration.

For t=0 and 1, there is no profit but after this profit increases
in constant way.

0
0
-5

9 10

t-->
Fig-4

h
0.001
0.0015
0.002
0.0025
0.003
0.0035
0.004
0.0045
0.005
0.0055
0.006
0.0065
0.007
0.0075
0.008
0.0085
0.009
0.0095
0.01

Fig-5 shows long run availability of the system. Its value is

0.283353. Now as we increase the value of h, the long run
availability decreases correspondingly.

REFERENCES

Table-4
A VSS
0.283353
0.282187
0.28103
0.279883
0.278746
0.277617
0.276498
0.275387
0.274286
0.273193
0.272109
0.271033
0.269966
0.268908
0.267857
0.266815
0.265781
0.264755
0.263736

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Vs H
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1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
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[11]

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