Reliability tools for complex systems

A computer implemented method for creating a taxonomy of complex plants, comprising:

• identifying at least first and second systems included in a plant;
• characterizing a function of said first system with respect to said plant;
• characterizing at least a first failure mode of said first system;
• identifying a number of components included in said first system;
• assigning a first context to at least some of said components identified in said first system, wherein said first context is related to said at least a first failure mode of said first system;
• representing a first component included in said first system using a first application template, wherein said first component is assigned said first context, and wherein said first application template is derived from a first library template;
• characterizing a function of said second system with respect to said plant;
• characterizing at least a first failure mode of said second system;
• identifying a number of components included in said second system;
• assigning a second context to at least some of said components identified in said second system, wherein said second context is related to said at least a first failure mode of said second system;
• representing a second component included in said second system using a second application template, wherein said second application template is derived from said first library template;
• wherein said first and second application templates are different from one another, and wherein said differences are a result of at least one of:
• 1) differences between said first and second components;
• and 2) differences between said first context assigned to at least some of said components identified in said first system and said second context assigned to at least some of said components identified in said second system;
• determining a response to a first failure condition of said first component assigned said first context;
• determining a response to a first failure condition of said second component assigned said second context, wherein a response to a failure of an instance of said first component included in said first system and assigned said first context is different than a response to a failure of an instance of said second component included in said second system and assigned said second context;
• producing an output comprising information included in said first and second application templates, wherein said output includes a human readable representation of at least a portion of said first application template and a human readable representation of at least a portion of said second application template;
• replacing said first component included in said first system with a first replacement component, wherein said first replacement component is a functional equivalent of said first component, and wherein said first component and said first replacement component differ in at least one respect;
• and
• in response to said replacing said first component with said first replacement component, revising said first application template to represent said first replacement component, wherein said revising said first application template includes revising said response to a failure of said component represented by said first application template, wherein said revising is performed to reflect said difference in at least one respect between said first component and said first replacement component.