Bus Section Failures in Electrostatic Precipitators

Theodore et al. employed Monte Carlo metliods in conjunction with the binomial and Weibull distributions to estimate out-of-compliance probabilities for electrostatic precipitators on tlie basis of observed bus section failures. The following definitions apply (see Fig. 21.6.1). 

Thus an M X N electrostatic precipitator consists of M cliambers and N fields. A precipitator is "out of compliance" when its overall collection efficiency falls below a designated minimum because of bus section failures. Wlien several bus sections fail, tlie effect of the failures depends on where tliey are located. To detemiine directly whetlier a precipitator is out of compliance after a given nmnber of bus sections liave failed, it would be nec ssaiy to test all possible arrangements of tlie failure locations. The out of compliance probability is given by tlie percent of arrangements tliat result in overall collection efficiencies less tlian tlie prescribed minimmn standard. The nmnber of arrangements to be tested often makes tlie direct approach impractical. For example, Theodore et... 

Suppose that X denotes the time to failure of a bus section in an electrostatic precipitator. Then X is a continuous random variable whose range consists of the real numbers greater tlian zero. 

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