Optimization of WSN PLEACH to Ensure Optimised Lifetime of the Network

Abstract

The PLEACH protocol is a chain-based routing approach used in Wireless Sensor Networks 
(WSNs) to reduce energy consumption and improve network throughput. However, a major limitation 
arises during data aggregation at the cluster head (CH), as the CH may exhaust its energy before 
forwarding all aggregated packets, resulting in increased packet drop ratio and reduced network 
reliability. To overcome this issue, the protocol is enhanced by incorporating a buffering mechanism in 
the form of a queue along with a multi-attribute cluster head selection strategy. In the modified approach, 
if the cluster head depletes its energy, the remaining aggregated packets are temporarily stored in the 
queue instead of being lost, and the newly selected cluster head retrieves and forwards these packets to 
the base station. Additionally, cluster head selection is based on multiple parameters, including maximum 
residual energy and minimum distance to the base station, ensuring efficient energy utilization and 
reliable data transmission. The proposed enhancement achieves better performance in terms of lower 
energy consumption, reduced packet drop ratio, and improved network throughput compared to the 
conventional PLEACH protocol.