Energy Hole Avoid By Unequal Cluster-Radius Optimized In Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract:One important problem in Wireless Sensor Networks is how to balance the energy consumption among sensors in order to avoid the Energy Hole problem. It directly affects the network lifetime, the communication performance and the energy efficiency. Focusing on the transmission characteristics of WSNs, the research on Energy Hole problem is of great significance for guiding the practical application. Researchers have proposed many methods to avoid the energy hole problem, and many literatures and practices have been verified that clustered network is superior to planar network on avoiding energy hole problem, extending network lifetime, and improving network energy efficiency.This paper based on Soro’s unequal clustering algorithm and the characteristics of WSNs, clustered with inequality cluster-radius is proposed. It is proved that according to the distance between sensors and the Sink from near to far, clustered with geometric increments cluster-radius can effectively balance the network energy consumption. Specific strategies are:(1)Sensors near the Sink should be clustered with a smaller cluster-radius, make the headers of the cluster save more energy to relay data from outer headers.(2)Sensors far from the Sink should be clustered with a bigger cluster-radius, and then the headers of the cluster can save more energy to cover more sensors, thus can collect more data in the cluster. Consequently the whole network load can be more balance than the network clustered with fixed cluster-radius.(3) Based on the above study, employing the unequal cluster-radius which meeting the optimal conditions for alternating, further balancing network energy consumption, extending network lifetime.Simulation results are found to be consistent with our theoretical results, clustered with inequality cluster-radius is proved. This strategy can balance the network load, improve the network energy efficiency and prolong the network lifetime, effectively avoid the network energy hole, is of significance for guiding the application and optimization for the Wireless Sensor Networks.