Energy Efficiency Optimization for Compact Massive MIMO Wireless Systems

In the face of the unprecedented demand for higher data rates while coping with the constraints from physical size (i.e., windward area), it is profitable to deploy compact planar arrays (CPAs) on the base stations (BSs). But massively densified antenna deployment not only leads to antenna mutual coupling (MC), but also consumes additional energy due to the equipment of more radio frequency (RF) chains. This paper studies energy efficiency (EE) optimization for massive multi-input multi-output (MIMO) wireless systems with a CPA in the presence of MC. In comprehensive consideration of the spectral efficiency (SE) and power consumption, a joint optimization problem of beamforming and antenna subset (AS) is proposed. Our motivation is to relieve the effects of MC and reduce the relevant energy consumption by constructing irregular AS. Particularly, considering the nonconvexity of the objective and the discrete 0-1 constraints, an available iterative algorithm, named the energy-efficient beamforming and AS (EE-BF&AS) algorithm, is developed. Numerical results illustrate that when MC is modeled, the proposed EE-BF&AS algorithm outperforms conventional related approaches in EE. By using the AS switching strategy, the irregular AS can be constructed to make MC less serious and let the relevant energy consumption decrease.