title: Numerical evaluation of the scale problem on the wind flow of a windbreak.
abstract: The airflow field around wind fences with different porosities, which are important in determining the efficiency of fences as a windbreak, is typically studied via scaled wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulations. However, the scale problem in wind tunnels or numerical models is rarely researched. In this study, we perform a numerical comparison between a scaled wind-fence experimental model and an actual-sized fence via computational fluid dynamics simulations. The results show that although the general field pattern can be captured in a reduced-scale wind tunnel or numerical model, several flow characteristics near obstacles are not proportional to the size of the model and thus cannot be extrapolated directly. For example, the small vortex behind a low-porosity fence with a scale of 1:50 is approximately 4 times larger than that behind a full-scale fence.
authors.affiliation: Dunhuang Gobi Desert Ecological and Engineering Research Station, Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Benli
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 1] Dunhuang Gobi Desert Ecological and Engineering Research Station, Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China [2] Gansu Center for Sand Hazard Reduction Engineering and Technology, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Dunhuang Gobi Desert Ecological and Engineering Research Station, Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Dunhuang Gobi Desert Ecological and Engineering Research Station, Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Lihai
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Land Surface Process and Climate Change in Cold and Arid Regions, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Yanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao