Smart cities with the Internet of Things gained increasing popularity in recent years. It helps to optimize resource allocation, improve public services, stimulate economic growth and improve the quality of life. It is reported that there are more than 250 smart city projects in over 178 cities worldwide.
Engineers designing electric circuits for smart cities IoT should consider some of the specific requirements of these applications, which we have enlisted and described in the following paragraphs.
Some Practical IoT Smart City Examples
68% of the world population is projected to live in urban areas by 2050, according to a UN report. With more stress on public infrastructure and resources, smart cities rely more on the latest IoT technology to collect and analyze data so that city resources and assets can be better distributed across a broad range of alternative uses. Such data can be used to optimize city functions while promoting economic growth and cutting inefficiencies in the consumption of publicly shared resources.
Smart cities can be described as cities that are designed, built, and implemented by using smart information and communications technologies (ICT). Specifically, municipal governments are leveraging cellular and Low Power Wide Area (LPWAN) wireless technologies to connect and improve the infrastructure, efficiency, convenience, and quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
Smart city solutions are especially impactful on public transportation systems and renewable energy implementation. Some practical examples of ongoing projects from the world’s leading smart cities include Singapore’s smart traffic management solutions, New York City’s connected vehicle infrastructure, London’s Smart Mobility Living Lab (SMLL), and Paris’ smart solutions to improve road safety and traffic management. These smart cities’ benefits vary from improved road safety, real-time traffic management, more eco-friendly and smarter transportation options, lower annual CO2 emissions, and lower traffic fatalities.
However, IoT technology’s potential for smart cities goes beyond improved transportation and building safer communities. Smart cities can employ IoT technology to reduce the negative effects of greenhouse gases on the environment. Research from Postcapes shows that cities consume between 60% and 80% of the world’s energy. From energy-efficient buildings and air quality sensors to renewable energy sources, all these options provide cities with new tools to shrink their environmental footprint. The same study from Postcapes also shows that cities that leverage smart city solutions can improve their energy efficiency by 30% in 20 years.
The Challenges of IoT for Smart Cities
However, the implementation of IoT technology faces some challenges.
Firstly, the physical size of IoT devices is becoming smaller and smaller, and wearable IoT devices are becoming more and more popular. Therefore, size is a critical requirement for any IoT product. Physical restrictions like flexibility and size must be addressed during IoT device design.
Secondly, as a foundational element of smart cities, IoT infrastructure needs to work seamlessly despite the multitude and complexity of tasks without creating a fragmented ecosystem. Any equipment malfunctioning or disrupting could not be able to meet the needs of citizens. For this reason, IoT infrastructure for innovative city applications needs to perform at its highest even under a load of data and operations, without resulting in extra costs for municipal governments.
Thirdly, the IT infrastructure of a smart city needs to provide real-time effective, and efficient data processing and analytics, regardless of the working environments of each IoT device and any external interference even from harsh weather conditions. Therefore, smart cities need to rely on an intelligent and automated infrastructure that can handle exponential data creation and deliver the capabilities required to support long-term storage, processing, and analysis.
Last but not the least, all these tasks require continuous electrical power, which should be provided efficiently to avoid any negative impact on the environment or exceeding the budget thresholds. Disruptions or incorrect data gathering could also negatively impact the smart city residents’ lives and the information available to governments for making more informed decisions for the benefit of the community.
For this reason, engineers need to consider these challenges when selecting power supplies for IoT smart city applications, whose power requirements we will review more in detail here below.
Power Supply Requirements for IoT Smart Cities Applications
Smart cities rely on microcontrollers supported by sensors to provide a constant stream of data, and all of these technologies require power. Most engineers don’t want to design custom power supplies for their projects due to the cost, time, and risks involved. However, not every power supply is suitable for IoT applications.
There are many application scenarios in the IoT industry. The best choice is AC/DC power supply with high efficiency and low power consumption and then choose the optimal peripheral circuits according to the actual application to achieve the best cost performance.
Mornsun’s LS-R3 series is ideal for providing onboard AC-DC power conversion where board space is at a premium. They can be flexibly matched with different peripheral circuits according to the customer’s requirements to achieve different EMC levels. Housed in an ultra-compact SIP package, these 1-15 W open frame power supplies are designed to provide a reliable and affordable low power solution for industrial, IoT, and telecom applications.
MORNSUN’s Power Supply Solutions
As mentioned earlier, the reliability of power supplies for IoT smart cities is a factor with a potential widespread influence over the lives of whole communities. For this reason, the component selection for electric circuits in these applications should not be taken lightly.
Besides careful selection, it is recommended to also rely on an experienced power supply solutions provider with wide product collections to reduce unnecessary design complexities by designing highly compatible circuits from the start. MORSNUN LS-R3 Series AC/DC converters are the optimal choices for IoT applications. Their advantages are as follows:
1. Save space
They are not restricted by the structure and can be designed in various shapes to meet the compact size requirements of practical applications and help improve space utilization.
2. High performance
They feature high power density, low power consumption, preventing output shorts, and overcurrent.
3. Cost-effective
They can simplify complex power supply design through flexible peripheral circuits. They are suitable for different environments. Customers can choose a variety of cost-effective peripheral components according to their own needs to achieve controllable service life and cost.
4. High reliability
The LS-R3 Series AC/DC converters deliver isolation voltage as high as 4000VAC, comply with IEC/EN/UL62368, and meet IEC/EN/UL60335 safety standards which is suitable for home appliances.
MORNSUN has over 23 years of experience in providing reliable, high-performing, and cost-effective power supply solutions for various industries. We have specific product series designed for IoT applications, EV charging stations, photovoltaic power grids, and energy battery storage and management systems.
Contact us to request a sample or inquire about our power supply solutions for IoT smart cities and other related applications.
