Design and implementation of wireless sensor networks nodes for natural gas pipeline safety monitoring

The online and real-time safety monitoring for urban natural gas pipeline networks could be realized by wireless sensor networks. Combining application requirements and characteristics, a novel wireless sensor networks node supporting both IEEE802. 15. 4 and ZigBee protocols is introduced. It can identify impacting damage from construction or other external forces, and detect unsafe factors such as leakage of natural gas and abnormal temperature near natural gas pipeline. Based on a system-on-chip including a microprocessor and a RF transceiver, the hardware circuit containing RF communication, data acquistion and power modules is designed, and the software scheme of inter-node network and data transmission is also presented. The experimental results show that the node has characteristics such as low power and reliable communication, and meets the safety monitoring requirements of natural gas pipeline.