Effect of shelter porosity on downwind flow characteristics

Abstract

Previous wind-tunnel studies were focused mainly on lonely standing windbreaks or wind fences with respect to their wind velocity reduction efficiency and effective shelter distance. In presented wind-tunnel study, we investigated the effects of a three different fence porosities (0.5, 0.25 and 0) embodied in a shelter-like building for coal convey by means of two-component Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA). The turbulent flow characteristics behind the fences were compared with those performed without the fence. For characterization of the fence effectiveness we used following quantities: wind-speed and turbulence kinetic energy reduction, and time fractions of the turbulent coherent structures associated with the sediment transport (sweeps and outward interactions). Results from mentioned quantities revealed that for the case of embodied fence the shelter construction has significant impact on the flow characteristics behind. The fence of the 0.5 porosity has been indicated as the most shelter effective considering the studied quantities.