Technical systems of ecological and environmental monitoring associated with large-scale coal-fired power plants: case study in Xilingol, Inner Mongolia

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe increases in the construction of coal-fired power plants (CFPP) in China have caused ecological damage and environmental pollution. It is essential to monitor ecological and environmental conditions with various technical methods. However, the current monitoring systems have major operational problems, including low levels of automation, high operating costs, and inefficient spatial and temporal coverage. The timely development in the Internet of Things (IoT) provides an opportunity to improve the effectiveness of environmental data collection and analysis. This research takes Xilingol as the study area, which is rich in coal resources and one of the principal regions for CFPP construction in China. We deployed relevant sensors in the study area to obtain the information regarding the quality of atmosphere, surface water, groundwater, and soil. The recorded data were transmitted to a central system platform via wireless communication networks and a general packet radio service. The system platform had the following functions: monitoring environmental quality, assessing environmental impact, supporting environmental management and decision-making, analyzing ecological efficiency, and responding environmental emergency. The government, especially environmental protection department and relevant companies, could easily obtain ecological and environmental information by using this IoT-based technical system.