The Optimized three-Dimensional Deployment for Pipeline Systems in Wireless Sensor Networks

Pipeline systems are vital infrastructure to national economy, and are widely used for transporting liquid and gas matter, such as oil, natural gas, water and chemic materials. However, effective and efficient management of pipeline systems are challenging, due to its mere lengths and the diverse deployment environments. Wireless sensor network (WSN) consists of a large number of sensors, which can automatically and constantly collect and transmit monitored data, and thus can enable effective and timely management of pipeline systems. Successful WSNs rely on the deployment of sensor nodes. Most current research assumes that sensor nodes are deployed on a twodimensional plane. However, in reality, sensor nodes deployed on pipeline surface exist in a three-dimensional space. In this paper, we present an optimized 3D deployment model of WSN particularly for pipeline systems. The model is based on analyzing various relationships between sensing ranges of sensor nodes and pipeline radii. We also provide an efficient deployment algorithm based on the model. Empirical simulation results show that the proposed model and the algorithm can provide both theoretical guidance and practical basis for the threedimensional deployment of sensor nodes in pipeline systems.