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Journal of Arid Land  2017, Vol. 9 Issue (5): 743-752    DOI: 10.1007/s40333-017-0101-8
Orginal Article     
Effects of wind guide plates on wind velocity acceleration and dune leveling: a case study in Ulan Buh Desert, China
Yanlong HAN, Yong GAO*(), Zhongju MENG, Xiaohong DANG, Xu JIA, Yanlong DING, Peng LI
College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot 010018, China
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Abstract  

The areas used to be covered by shifting sand dunes have been reclaimed rapidly in recent years. However, it is a challenge to reclaim high sand dunes because it is rather costly to level the high dunes to gentle arable lands. In this study, a wind guide plate was used to change the characteristics of natural wind to level the sand dunes. The use of wind energy could significantly increase the efficiency of dune leveling and decrease the cost. Low wind velocity is a typical characteristic in Ulan Buh Desert of China where the average wind speed is much lower than the threshold velocity for sand movement. The experiment of this study was conducted to accelerate the wind velocity by a wind guide plate to level a sand dune. Results show that the threshold velocity for sand movement is 3.32 m/s at 10 cm above the sand surface in Ulan Buh Desert. A wind guide plate set at an angle less than 50° could significantly increase the wind velocity. The wind velocity could be accelerated up to the threshold velocity for sand movement behind a plate when the plate is at the angles of 20°, 25°, 35° and 40°. The most significant acceleration of wind velocity appears at 1.5 and 3.0 m behind the plate with an angle of 25°. An obvious wind velocity acceleration zone exists behind the wind guide plate when the angles are at 25°, 35°, 40° and 45°, with the most obvious zone under the angle of 45°. The results also show that the total amount of sand transferred over the experimental period increased by 6.1% under the effects of wind guide plates compared to the sand moved without wind guide plates. The results of the study will provide theoretical and practical supports for desert management in sand dune areas.



Key wordswind guide plate      sand dune      dune leveling      wind velocity      sandy desert      Ulan Buh Desert     
Received: 28 December 2016      Published: 22 August 2017
Corresponding Authors:
Cite this article:

Yanlong HAN, Yong GAO, Zhongju MENG, Xiaohong DANG, Xu JIA, Yanlong DING, Peng LI. Effects of wind guide plates on wind velocity acceleration and dune leveling: a case study in Ulan Buh Desert, China. Journal of Arid Land, 2017, 9(5): 743-752.

URL:

http://jal.xjegi.com/10.1007/s40333-017-0101-8     OR     http://jal.xjegi.com/Y2017/V9/I5/743

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