Energy-aware Cluster Head Selection Using Particle Swarm Optimization and Analysis of Packet Retransmissions in WSN

In sensor networks the maximization of network lifetime is a critical issue because the sensor nodes are characterized by restricted and non-replenishable energy supply. Therefore, proper organization of nodes (clustering) becomes one of the major techniques to expand the lifespan of the whole network through aggregating data at the cluster head. In this paper, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) approach is applied for producing energy-aware clusters with optimal selection of cluster head. The PSO ultimately reduces the cost of locating optimal position for the cluster head nodes. The PSO implementation is performed within the cluster rather than base station, which makes it a semi-distributed approach. The selection criteria of the objective function are based on the residual energy, minimum average distance from the member nodes and head count of the probable head nodes. Moreover, the effect of expected number of packet retransmissions is also demonstrated in our proposed energy model. The performance evaluation of our proposed technique is compared with the cluster-based sensor network protocols, LEACH-C and PSO-C respectively. The simulation results clearly reveal the effectiveness of our proposed work over its comparatives.