Project Title:
Dense Deployment of Solar Energy Harvesting Small Cells for Sustainable and High-Capacity Future Cellular Networks
Supervisors:
Dr Xiaoli Chu (principal), Dr Alastair Buckley, and Dr Tony Q. S. Quek
Description
Project Description:
Fuelled by the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, the explosively growing demand for ubiquitous broadband wireless access has led to a tremendous increase in energy consumption of cellular networks. There are more than 8 million macro base stations (BSs) worldwide, each consuming an average of 25MWh per year. In order to offload data traffic from the overburdened macro BSs, low-power small BSs (a.k.a. small cells) are being densely deployed by mobile network operators. A roof-top metro BS requires less than 20W of power, while a femto BS mounted on a lamppost requires less than 5W. The number of small BSs deployed worldwide is expected to grow up to 62.4 million in 2016, to account for 88% of all BSs. In order to make future cellular networks energy sustainable and with reduced carbon emissions, there is an urgent need to investigate the use of renewable and clean energy in small BSs.
Objectives:
This project aims to achieve energy and environmental sustainability for future cellular networks by combining distributed solar energy harvesting with the dense deployment of small BSs. As the availability of solar energy changes with environment and time, network deployment problems need to be revisited for solar powered small BSs. It is also challenging to provide ubiquitous broadband wireless services given the diverse, unstable and intermittently available solar energy at individual small BSs. Accordingly, the project attempts to answer two questions: 1) whether distributed solar energy harvesting at individual small BSs is better than centralised electricity generation in terms of energy sustainability and environmental impacts for cellular networks, and 2) how to fulfil the growing user demand for ubiquitous broadband wireless access while coping with the unstable and intermittently available nature of solar energy. The results of the project will contribute to the realization of sustainable cellular networks that offer an increase in area spectral efficiency and a decrease in the carbon footprint.
Academic Requirements:
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve a first or upper second class UK honours degree or equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK.
Information:
The PhD studentship is jointly offered by the University of Sheffield and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) in Singapore. The student will spend approximately two years in Sheffield and two years in Singapore. It is open to UK and EU applicants only.
Applicants should apply through the University of Sheffield’s website at:
www.sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply/applying
Contact Detail:
Supervisor: Dr Xiaoli Chu
Tel: +44 (0)114 2225903
Email: x.chu@sheffield.ac.uk
For further information on Research Area:
www.shef.ac.uk/eee/staff/x_chu
xiaoli-chu.staff.shef.ac.uk
Nr of positions available : 1
Research Fields
Engineering - Electronic engineering
Career Stage
Early stage researcher or 0-4 yrs (Post graduate)
Research Profiles
First Stage Researcher (R1)
Benefits
A*Star provides the following financial support whilst the student is in Singapore:
A monthly stipend of 2500 Singapore Dollars (~£1,050).
A one-off "settling-in allowance" of 1000 Singapore dollars (~£420).
A one-time airfare allowance of 1500 Singapore dollars (~£630).
Cost of medical insurance.
Whilst in Sheffield, the student receives fees and stipend (at the RCUK rate, £13,863 in 2014, which will increase in 2015). The student can claim £500 from Sheffield towards the costs of an airfare back to the UK/EU from Singapore.
Comment/web site for additional job details
Further information is available at:
www.sheffield.ac.uk/ris/pgr-support/scholarships/astarcall
Requirements
| Information science |
| Physics |
| Engineering |
| Primary Degree or equivalent |
| Primary Degree or equivalent |
| Primary Degree or equivalent |