A Power Simulation Tool For The Optimization of Wireless Sensor Nodes

Optimization of system-level power consumption is key in extending battery-life in IoT Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) nodes. Early power analysis aids designers in making informed choices about components, design architectures, communication protocols, and battery capacity. This is particularly important when using Energy Harvesters (EH) to extend a node’s battery-life or achieve full power autonomy. This work introduces a simulation tool for solar-powered Asset Tracking (AT) WSN nodes developed in the EU project Energy ECS. Using experimental data from partners CSEM and Net Feasa, the tool performs a step-by-step energy balance for an intermodal dry container during shipment, predicting the necessary EH and battery sizes for autonomy, while identifying power-hungry processes to optimize performance.