Design of an IoT-Based Monitoring System as a Part of Prevention of Thermal Events in Mining and Landfill Waste Disposal Sites: A Pilot Case Study

Abstract

This case study deals with the design of a hybrid system for the prevention of thermal events in mining waste disposal sites and landfills. The overall design, real implementation, optimization, and experimental verification of the functionality of the entire system are described in detail. Both experimental platforms are built on the Internet of Things (long range wide area network (LoRaWAN) and Sigfox) basis and meet the conditions for autonomous long-term on-site monitoring. The data collected are periodically transmitted wirelessly to a database repository, which processes relevant parameters for the operators of dispatching workplaces. The study is focused on a combination of surface and depth measurement methods. The experimental results clearly confirm the functionality of the proposed solutions, which will enable timely interventions and elimination of underground and surface combustions. Thanks to centralized data collection, a unique database has also been created, which can be used for the implementation of prediction algorithms (based, for example, on machine learning or artificial intelligence).