Transforming Industrial Maintenance with Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting and NB-IoT

Heat-intensive industries (e.g., iron and steel, aluminum, cement) and explosive sectors (e.g., oil and gas, chemical, petrochemical) face challenges in achieving Industry 4.0 goals due to the widespread adoption of industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies. Wireless solutions are favored in...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Aragonés Ortiz, Raúl|||0000-0002-3960-6312, Oliver Malagelada, Joan|||0000-0002-5641-5729, Ferrer, Carles|||0000-0002-1475-8790
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:308538
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/308538
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3390/s25030703
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Energy harvesting
Thermoelectricity
LCA
Carbon footprint
LoRaWAN
Edge computing
NETZERO
Energy-intensive industry
Descripción
Sumario:Heat-intensive industries (e.g., iron and steel, aluminum, cement) and explosive sectors (e.g., oil and gas, chemical, petrochemical) face challenges in achieving Industry 4.0 goals due to the widespread adoption of industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies. Wireless solutions are favored in large facilities to reduce the costs and complexities of extensive wiring. However, conventional wireless devices powered by lithium batteries have limitations, including reduced lifespan in high-temperature environments and incompatibility with explosive atmospheres, leading to high maintenance costs. This paper presents a novel approach for energy-intensive and explosive industries, which represent over 40% of the gross production revenue (GPR) in several countries. The proposed solution uses residual heat to power ATEX-certified IIoT devices, eliminating the need for batteries and maintenance. These devices are designed for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance of rotating machinery, which is common in industrial settings. The study demonstrates the successful application of this technology, highlighting its potential to reduce costs and improve safety and efficiency in challenging industrial environments.