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Exercise 11-13

The document describes a system for controlling reactor vessel pressure and level. It provides a fault tree analysis to determine the failure characteristics of the top event of vessel pressure exceeding the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP). There are two subsystems, for level and pressure control, each containing multiple components. The fault tree shows that for the top event to occur, both subsystems must fail via their respective AND gates. Failure rates, reliability, and probability of failure are provided for each component. Calculations show the probability of the top event is 0.0001 and the mean time between failures is 7,351 years, due to the low probabilities provided by the redundant protection systems.

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ANNUR SARA BINTI HISHAM MET211037
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249 views

Exercise 11-13

The document describes a system for controlling reactor vessel pressure and level. It provides a fault tree analysis to determine the failure characteristics of the top event of vessel pressure exceeding the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP). There are two subsystems, for level and pressure control, each containing multiple components. The fault tree shows that for the top event to occur, both subsystems must fail via their respective AND gates. Failure rates, reliability, and probability of failure are provided for each component. Calculations show the probability of the top event is 0.0001 and the mean time between failures is 7,351 years, due to the low probabilities provided by the redundant protection systems.

Uploaded by

ANNUR SARA BINTI HISHAM MET211037
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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EXERCISE 11.

13

Using the system shown in Figure 11-23, draw the fault tree and determine the failure
characteristics of the top event (vessel pressure exceeds MAWP).

The top event is Reactor Vessel Pressure Exceeds MAWP. A schematic diagram of the
system is appended below:
The components of the Level Control system are:

1. Level measurement
2. Level controller
3. Pressure switch 1
4. Input line Valve

Valve 4 closes when the level of feed in the reactor reaches a defined level.

The components of the Pressure Control system are:

5. Pressure measurement
6. Pressure controller
7. Pressure switch 2
8. Pressure relief valve

Valve 8 opens when pressure exceeds a defined level.

Both, the pressure control system and the level control system, must fail for the top event to
occur. Hence, gate A is an AND gate. All four components 1 to 4 of the level control system
must fail to give gate C and all components 5 to 8 of the pressure control system must fail at
gate B. Hence, all the gates are AND gates.

The fault tree of the system is shown below:


Failure characteristics of the top event (vessel pressure exceeds MAWP)

The failure rates of components 1 to 8 are provided. The failure characteristics of the system
are to be determined.

R is the reliability of the component, given by the equation:

μ = faults/year and t is the time (1 year in this case).

Both R and P have been calculated for each of the components in the system.

The table showing the μ, R and P of the components 1 to 8 is appended in the embedded
excel sheet below:

Component SI No μ(Faults/Yr ) R=e


−μt
P
Level Measurement 1 1.70 0.1827 0.8173
Level Controller 2 0.29 0.7483 0.2517
Pressure switch 1 3 0.14 0.8694 0.1306
Valve 4 0.60 0.5488 0.4512
Pressure measurement 5 1.41 0.2441 0.7559
Pressure Controller 6 0.29 0.7483 0.2517
Pressure switch 2 7 0.14 0.8694 0.1306

Probabilities at the gates

The probabilities of the events at each gate, starting with the lowermost gates, are calculated
using the data for the probability of the influencing events. At each successive upper stage,
more events of the lower levels affect the outcome.

The calculation for probability at an AND gate for events A and B is given by the equation:

......(1)
The table showing the reliabilities, probabilities, failure rates, and the MTBF at each gate is
reproduced below. Clicking on a cell in the previous embedded excel sheet reveals the
calculation:

Gate Probability P R=1-P μ MTBF


B P (5, 6, 7 and 8) 0.0112 0.9888 0.0113 88.66
C P (1, 2, 3 and 4) 0.0121 0.9879 0.0122 81.96
A P (B and C) 0.0001 0.9999 0.0001 7351.41

The results show that the availability of multiple protection instruments and devices, lowers
the probability of the top event to a negligible 1 × 10-4.

Therefore, the probability of the top event (pressure exceeds MAWP) is 0.0001.

The MTBF (mean time between failures) of the top event is 7,351 years.

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