Load balanced clustering protocol for enhancing the lifetime of wireless sensor network

In this paper, a grid-based load balanced clustering protocol (LBCP) is proposed to prolong the network lifetime of wireless sensor network (WSN). The operations of LBCP include the division of the network into regular grids, maximum normalized residual energy-based cluster head (CH) selection, and rotation of the role of CH for equal distribution of energy load among sensor nodes (SNs). In each grid, SNs send data to their respective CH in their allotted time slot. CHs then processes and transmits data to the base station (BS) using the code division multiple access (CDMA) technique. In LBCP, square grids are formed instead of circular clusters to avoid any voids between clusters. Numerous simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of LBCP and the obtained results are compared with low energy adaptive clustering hierarchy (LEACH) protocol. The simulation results showed that LBCP can extend the network lifetime up to 45%, 48% and 83% more than LEACH in an area of 100m×100m, 200m×200m and 300m×300m respectively. In LBCP, the energy of SNs is utilized in an efficient manner so that they remain alive for a longer time which results in the prolonged network lifetime. Hence, it can be concluded that the LBCP has better CH selection algorithm which helps in longer lifetime of WSN.