Title: Weibull fuzzy probability distribution for analysing the behaviour of pulping unit in a paper industry

Authors: Harish Garg; S.P. Sharma; Monica Rani

Addresses: Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee – 247667, India ' Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee – 247667, India ' Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee – 247667, India

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to present a technique for analysing the behaviour of an industrial system stochastically by utilising vague, imprecise, and uncertain data. The technique utilises Petri nets and fuzzy Lambda-Tau method for analysing the reliability indices of time varying failure rate instead of the constant failure rate. Petri nets are used for modelling the system while fuzzy set theory is used for representing the failure rate and repair time because fuzzy numbers allows expert opinions, operating conditions, uncertainty and imprecision in reliability information. Various expressions of reliability indices like failure rate, repair time, mean time between failures (MTBF), reliability, availability and maintainability for the system in terms of Weibull distribution is computed. The pulping unit of a paper mill situated in a northern part of India, producing approximately 200 tons of paper per day, has been considered to demonstrate the proposed approach.

Keywords: paper mills; Weibull fuzzy distribution; fuzzy reliability; uncertain data; Lambda-Tau methodology; alpha-cuts; pulping units; pulp and paper industry; imprecise data; vague data; reliability indices; time varying failure rate; India; Petri nets; modelling; fuzzy set theory; fuzzy logic; repair time; mean time between failures; MTBF; availability; maintainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISE.2013.054804

International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 2013 Vol.14 No.4, pp.395 - 413

Published online: 27 Dec 2013 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article