Optimizing the Periodicity of Preventative Maintenance Inspections Based on Historical Reliability Data
Abstract
Condensers are critical to the operation of naval vessels that utilize the Rankine cycle for propulsion. Eddy current analysis is a nondestructive evaluation of the integrity of seawater tubes in condensers. Defects significant enough to be expected to allow seawater to leak into the steam side of the condenser prior to the next inspection are identified and plugged. In this paper, the interval between eddy current inspections is determined with a known probability of a tube leak occurring prior to the next inspection based on the results of past inspections. Ship maintainers will be able to optimize the inspection periodicity, thus reducing life-cycle maintenance costs within an acceptable risk. Condenser tube degradation is modeled along with eddy current inspection accuracy to determine the probability of a defect growing to a leak. A case study is presented that evaluates the impacts of inspection frequency and tube-plugging limit on the probability of a leak.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1201039
Entities
People
- Andrew Machamer
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School