Stochastic Dynamics for Passage Times and Diffusion Approximations for Finite Capacity Storage Models with Different Kinds of Barriers

In this article, we discuss a number of storage models of finite capacity with random inputs, random outputs, and linear release policy. They form a class of one-dimensional master equations with separable kernels. For this class of problems, the integral equations for first overflow or first emptiness can be transformed exactly into ordinary differential equations. Analysis is done with separable kernel. For all the stochastic models, two barriers are considered: one at X = 0 and the other at X = k, and the barriers are treated as absorbing or reflecting. The imbedding method is used to derive a third order differential equation. We consider first passage times for overflow without or with emptiness of the dam. We also study the passage times for first emptiness with and without overflows. The expected amount of overflows in a given time is also calculated. Finally, by suitable statistical features, all these models are converted into diffusion process with drift. Closed form solutions are obtained for all the problems in terms of Laplace transform functions. For the diffusion process with drift first passage time density is arrived at by treating X = 0 and X = k as absorbing barriers. One of the barriers as reflecting is also studied.