Lifetime Optimization of the LEACH Protocol in WSNs with Simulated Annealing Algorithm

Abstract

The lifetime of a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is determined by its energy restriction. One of the conventional techniques used to maintain network connectivity is the utilization of the LEACH routing protocol. LEACH is based on clustering, and the process of choosing a Cluster Head (CH) in each round is based on chance. Consequently, it remains unclear whether the best CH is selected for each round. In this study, two approaches based on the Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm are described to minimize energy losses of the nodes and improve the lifetime of the WSN utilizing the LEACH routing protocol. In both techniques, the residual energies at the nodes, as well as their distances from each other, are taken into consideration when determining the CHs. The efficiency of the presented approaches has been evaluated for networks with 10, 25, 50 and 100 sensors in terms of consumed energy, total data packets received by the Base Station (BS), the number of active/dead nodes, and the average energy per sensor. According to the findings, the PSCH-SA technique yields the most favorable results in networks with 10 sensors, while the LEACH-SA protocol demonstrates superior performance in WSNs with 25 or more sensors.