Research on the acceleration effect of horizontal wind in mountainous terrain

Abstract

The utilization of mountain wind resources are important issues in the development of wind energy. However, when wind flows over mountainous terrain, its velocity and direction undergo certain changes, resulting in more complex mountain wind fields and induced structural wind effects. To study the distribution characteristics of horizontal wind in mountainous areas, in this study, wind tunnel experiments were conducted on regular mountain models with different slopes to investigate the wind field characteristics at various locations in the mountain range. The research shows that near the mountain surface, the wind speed and velocity ratio follow the order of mountain top > mountain waist > mountain foot, with a wind acceleration effect at the mountain top (wind speed ratio greater than 1) and a wind deceleration effect at the mountain foot and waist (wind speed ratio less than 1). As the height increases, the wind speed ratios gradually approach 1. Moreover, with an increase in slope ratio, the wind speed decreases at the mountain foot and increases at the mountain top. And with the increase of the slope leads to an increasing difference in wind speed ratio between the mountain top and the foot.