IoT solution for smart water distribution networks based on a low-power wireless network, combined at the device-level: A case study

Wireless systems enable the implementation and deployment of efficient Internet of Things (IoT) solutions in various applications such as smart cities, smart industry, smart transportation, or agriculture 4.0. The low power consumption of battery powered devices provides long system lifetime. Taking advantage of the energy consumption reduction mechanisms of the IEEE 802.15.4g and Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) standards, this work develops a combined wireless network with application to smart metering for water distribution systems. The end devices used for reading water meters transmit their measurements through cluster heads with dual wireless connectivity. This combined network also finds application in other environments, such as industrial areas with a large geographical extension. Experimental results and simulations results obtained with two demonstrators show an estimate of battery life of more than a decade for those nodes with the highest power requirements.

Automated summary

Wireless systems enable efficient IoT solutions in various applications, and battery powered devices provide long system lifetime. This work develops a combined wireless network for smart metering in water distribution systems, utilizing the energy consumption reduction mechanisms of IEEE 802.15.4g and NB-IoT standards. Experimental and simulation results show a battery life estimate of over a decade for nodes with high power requirements.