A reliability block diagramming tool to describe networks

Abstract

The proposed tool, using a novel "compression algorithm" is capable of reducing any complicated series-parallel system to a visible sequence of series and parallel blocks in a reliability block diagram (RBD) by first finding all existing paths, then algorithmically compressing all redundant component duplications and finally calculating an exact reliability and creating an encoding of the topology. A fast algorithm to perform state enumeration in a hybrid form assisted by the polish encoding approach on complex networks to compute the exact s-t reliability is in progress by the authors. The graphical screening ease and convenience of this algorithm is advantageous for planners and designers trying to improve system reliability by allowing a quick and efficient intervention that may be required at a dispatch center to observe routine operations and/or identify solution alternatives in case of a crisis. Note, s denotes the source and t denotes the target.