Abstract
Wireless sensors or robots in metal-constrained environments leverage through-metal wireless communications to send data and receive instructions. It is well-known that wireless radio frequency (RF) signals cannot penetrate through metal efficiently, which prevents us from applying existing wireless solutions. Moreover, most applications, e.g., metal inspection robots in an oil pipeline, require noncontact wireless communications, where the ultrasonic signals do not work. To this end, we propose to use magnetic induction communication to provide a reliable and flexible solution for wireless sensor and robotic networks in metal-constrained environments. We consider the transceivers are located on two different sides of a metal wall. Then, we develop an analytical model to obtain the optimal configurations of the magnetic coil and the carrier frequency to maximize the communication channel capacity. The received power and wireless channel bandwidth are studied. The results show that the optimal carrier frequency is around 1 kHz. In addition, we study the negative effects caused by coil misalignment and interference, which are circumvented by leveraging a coil array with optimal receiving strategy. The results are evaluated using numerical simulation and verified by finite element method-based simulation.
Highlights
Metal is extensively used to make containers of hazardous materials, oil/gas transportation pipelines, spacecrafts, submarines, among others
We develop an analytical model for throughmetal wireless communication using magnetic induction
We find the optimal carrier frequency is at lower kHz band for 1 cm thick metal
Summary
Metal is extensively used to make containers of hazardous materials, oil/gas transportation pipelines, spacecrafts, submarines, among others. Carrier frequency reduces, the skin depth becomes large and the signal has better penetration efficiency [9] This technology has been adopted in through-metal wireless power transfer and communications for more than one decade [9]–[13]. Existing works are mainly based on experiments and there is a lack of analytical model to provide more insightful understanding of the magnetic field propagation through metal walls In these experiments, the carrier frequency varies from 50 Hz to several MHz and the coil profile are very different [6], [14]. By considering the transceivers are coaxial, we simplify the integral of Bessel functions and derive a closed-form analytical model, which is verified by finite element simulations By leveraging this model, we maximize the communication channel capacity and study the impacts of metal thickness, optimal coil configurations, and the optimal carrier frequency.
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