LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) is a relatively new wireless protocol, which offers many benefits in an industrial setting when compared to others such as Wi-HART and ISA-100. LoRaWAN (LoRa) has been successfully adopted in certain parts of the world such as Europe and North America, while others have yet to adopt the technology. The long range and low power capabilities of LoRa make it a much more cost effective and scalable technology. This paper will cover the differences between the main types of wireless networks available as well as the different sensor types available that can operate on a LoRa network (UT, temperature, vibration, atmospheric, etc.) and possible use cases.

The purpose is to present a new type of wireless technology that has many advantages over its predecessors when used in industrial applications. By utilizing LoRaWAN remote sensing technology, operators can have more easily accessible and affordable data. That data can then be used to see how operational changes impact corrosion rates, improve overall operational efficiency, and provide a better understanding of assets.