LoRa mesh architecture for automation of rural electricity distribution networks

The current transformation scenario in power distribution networks forecasts the need for alternative solutions in communication systems employed in the process of making them intelligent. As a premise, these alternatives should be easy to implement and affordable to allow their adoption in rural distribution networks, where, often, the use of technologies, such as mobile, is not available. This Letter proposes a new communication architecture with mesh topology, based on LoRa technology. The architecture adapts packet prioritisation and MIMO mechanisms to ensure the communication requirements necessary for the services. In this sense, several applications and protocols of a smart grid can coexist in the same communication system. The deployment of the architecture gave rise to a routing protocol adapted to the limitations of the radio technology used. The benefits of the proposed architecture can be observed when compared to the use of traditional low power wide area network networks and cellular technologies. The robustness of the system has been proven with average latency measurement within the acceptable range for DNP3 Modbus and NBR14522 applications. The results have shown its potential employment in the management of intelligent rural distribution systems.