US 6,321,187 B1Granted

System reliability assessment tool

AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation

InventorsSteven E. Squier, Eric A. Henderson

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Abstract

A method for assessing the reliability of an electrical power distribution system begins with identifying each element of the electrical power distribution system, and establishing characteristic data for each of these elements. The characteristic data at least identifies one operating characteristic of the element and further identifies interconnections of that element to other elements in the system. Next, at least one “minimum cut” is determined separating a first system element from a second system element, e.g., a power source from a load. The minimum cut is at least based upon the interconnection data. At least one third element is then identified, located on the minimum cut, and the reliability may then be assessed by evaluating the characteristic data of the at least one third element.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for assessing the operational reliability of an electrical power distribution system comprising the steps of:

identifying each element of the electrical power distribution system;
for each element, establishing characteristic data, the characteristic data identifying at least one operating characteristic of the element, and interconnection data, the interconnection data identifying interconnections of the element to at least one other element of the electrical power distribution system;
using the identification data to determine all possible paths within the electrical power distribution system interconnecting the element to the at least one other element;
determining from the all possible paths valid paths interconnecting the element and the at least one other element, wherein a valid path terminates at the at least one other element, is not a redundant path, does not violate permitted flow directions and does not include other active power sources or load elements;
determining from the valid paths at least one minimum cut from a first element of the electrical power distribution system to a second element of the electrical power distribution system based upon the interconnection data;
identifying at least a third element of the electrical power distribution system on the minimum cut;
assessing reliability of the minimum cut based at least upon the characteristic data associated with the third element;
and
assessing the operational reliability of the electrical power distribution system based at least upon the reliability of the minimum cut.

6 more elements

A system reliability assessment tool comprising:

a processor coupled to a user interface and to a memory,
the memory including a data structure containing system data representing a plurality of elements and containing for each of the plurality of elements characteristic data and interconnection data, the memory further including an analysis algorithm;
the analysis algorithm including structure for:
i) using the interconnection data to determine all possible paths within the electrical power distribution system interconnecting a first element to at least one other element;
ii) determining from the all possible paths valid paths interconnecting the element and the at least one other element, wherein a valid path terminates at the at least one other element, is not a redundant path, does not violate permitted flow directions and does not include other active power sources or load elements;
iii) determining at least one minimum cut from the valid paths;
iv) identifying at least a third element of the plurality of elements on the minimum cut;
v) assessing reliability of the minimum cut based at least upon the characteristic data associated with the third element;
and
vi) assessing system reliability based at least upon the reliability of the minimum cut;
and
the processor operable upon the system data in accordance with the analysis algorithm to provide an indication representing a reliability of the system.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.