Energy consumption modelling and optimisation in heterogeneous cold-standby systems

Abstract

In a 1-out-of-n: G cold-standby system, one component is online and working with the remaining (n – 1) components being unpowered and waiting in the standby mode. The system fails when all the components have failed. In the case of non-identical system components, the sequence of putting the cold-standby components into operation can affect the system energy consumption greatly. Therefore, in this paper, we consider the optimal standby element sequencing (OSES) problem for the 1-out-of-n: G heterogeneous cold-standby systems with the objective to minimise the expected total system energy consumption. An analytical method is first proposed for obtaining approximate estimates of the total energy consumption of the considered cold-standby system. The method also provides a solution for evaluating the reliability of the 1-out-of-n: G heterogeneous cold-standby systems without the limitation on the type of time-to-failure distributions. Based on the proposed energy consumption analysis method, the OSES problem is solved. The brute force approach is used for obtaining the optimal initiation sequence for systems with a small number of standby units; an optimisation methodology based on genetic algorithm is implemented for systems with a relatively large number of standby units. Application of the proposed methodology is illustrated through several case studies.

Keywords:

• cold standby
• sequence optimisation
• energy consumption
• 1-out-of-n: G system
• non-identical components

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported in part by the US National Science Foundation [grant number 0832594].

Notes on contributors

Prashanthi Boddu

Prashanthi Boddu earned her BE degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Osmania University College of Engineering, India in 2006; and MS and PhD degrees in electrical and computer engineering from University of Massachusetts, MA, Dartmouth in 2008 and 2012, respectively. She is specialised in the field of reliability modelling of complex systems, and optimisation methodologies. Currently, she is working as an associate at Global Prior Art Inc, MA where she conducts prior art searches by reviewing US and European Patents and literature for numerous and diverse cases in the field of electrical and computer engineering.

Liudong Xing

Liudong Xing received the BE degree in computer science from Zhengzhou University, China in 1996, and the MS and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia, VA, Charlottesville in 2000 and 2002, respectively. She is currently a professor with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Massachusetts (UMass), MA, Dartmouth, USA. She is an associate editor for International Journal of Systems Science and International Journal of Systems Science: Operations & Logistics. She is also an assistant editor-in-chief for International Journal of Performability Engineering. Dr Xing is the recipient of the 2010 Scholar of the Year Award, and 2011 Outstanding Women Award of UMass Dartmouth and the IEEE Region 1 Technological Innovation (Academic) Award in 2007. She is also the co-recipient of the Best Paper Award at the IEEE International Conference on Networking, Architecture, and Storage in 2009. Her research focuses on reliability modelling and analysis of complex systems and networks.

Gregory Levitin

Gregory Levitin is presently a distinguished visiting professor at University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and a senior expert at the Reliability Department of the Israel Electric Corporation. His current interests are in operations research and artificial intelligence applications in reliability, defence and power systems. In this field, Prof. Levitin has published more than 200 papers and four books. He is senior member of IEEE and chair of the ESRA Technical Committee on system reliability. He is an associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Reliability, area coordinator of International Journal of Performability Engineering and member of editorial boards of Reliability Engineering & System Safety, Journal of Risk and Reliability and Reliability and Quality Performance.