Performance Analysis of Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces for 5G/6G-Enabled Future Smart Industries with a Focus on Millimeter-Wave Band Communications

Industry 4.0's emergence necessitates reliable communication systems. Millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication is a promising solution, but challenges like limited coverage and atmospheric absorption persist. The Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces (IRS) offers transformative potential by dynamically manipulating wave propagation to improve millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication. This research investigates the impact of the distance of Industrial User Equipment (iUE) from the IRS and Base Station (BS), and the height of the IRS from the ground, along with the impact of sum throughput by increasing the number of IRS elements. The IRS-assisted system exhibits enhanced performance within the mmWave frequency band compared to the sub-6 GHz band. The observed achievable rate gains, exceeding 200% on average, underscore the significant performance enhancement enabled by IRS deployments. Moreover, increasing the number of IRS elements significantly enhances the overall throughput. The decrease in required transmit power with an increasing number of Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces IRS elements can be attributed to the enhanced ability of IRS to efficiently reflect and manipulate electromagnetic waves. As more IRS elements are deployed, they collectively contribute to optimizing signal propagation, allowing for better control and redirection of the transmitted signals. This phenomenon enables the system to achieve the desired communication objectives with less overall transmit power. Additionally, the attainable capacity of the examined IRS-assisted wireless communication system exhibits growth alongside an increase in the elevation of the IRS installation. Results showcase the potential of IRSs to enhance coverage and communication reliability, providing valuable insights for designing efficient wireless systems in smart factories and Industry 4.0 applications.