LoRa e IEEE 802.15.4 a 2,4 GHz: Análise Comparativa de Comunicação Sem Fio e Viabilidade Energética com Fontes Renováveis em Cenários Industriais

Abstract

The Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterized by the interconnection of systems, relies on the Internet of Things (IoT) as a fundamental pillar, fostering the convergence between the physical and digital worlds. Within the Industrial IoT (IIoT) landscape, technologies such as ZigBee and LoRa have driven the adoption of monitoring solutions due to their flexibility and low power consumption. However, ensuring network reliability and energy autonomy remains a critical challenge for scalability.

In this context, this study presents a comparative analysis of two wireless solutions operating in the 2.4 GHz ISM band: the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, implemented via the AT86RF233 transceiver, and the LoRa physical layer (PHY), utilizing the SX1280 transceiver. Specifically, the work evaluates the robustness of LoRa’s proprietary modulation against the standardized IEEE protocol, while also investigating the feasibility of applying photovoltaic energy harvesting.

Experimental results indicate that IEEE 802.15.4 exhibited greater stability in packet delivery, maintaining success rates above 90% at distances up to 150 meters, albeit with significantly higher energy consumption due to the external amplification required to reach 12 dBm. In contrast, LoRa technology demonstrated superior energy efficiency, consuming approximately half the current in the tested configurations, while maintaining competitive transmission rates. Additionally, the technical feasibility of photovoltaic panels was confirmed, as they successfully supplied the full energy demand during continuous transmission under high solar irradiance conditions.