Abstract:

During the large-scale construction of photovoltaic （PV） power stations in desert regions， the areas beneath the panels often experience secondary wind erosion and sand accumulation due to ground surface disturbance and altered wind flow patterns. These issues seriously threaten ecological recovery and the safety of operational maintenance. To evaluate the windbreak and sand-stabilizing effects of different types of mechanical sand barriers in PV fields， this study selected three typical sand barriers， straw checkerboard， degradable polylactic acid （PLA）， and high-density polyethylene （mesh）， within a PV power station located in the Hobq Desert as the experimental site. The wind speed profile near the surface， surface roughness， and friction velocity under varying wind conditions were analyzed to systematically examine the influence of sand barrier type on wind speed modulation and surface stability. The results indicated that： （1） All three types of sand barriers significantly reduced wind speed within the 0-20 cm near-surface layer， with the mesh barrier showing the highest wind reduction efficiency up to 50% at the 10 cm height. （2） The installation of sand barriers markedly increased surface roughness and enhanced wind speed shear resistance， with the straw checkerboard demonstrating particularly notable effects. （3） All sand barriers effectively increased the friction velocity， with an average improvement ranging from 30% to 68% under wind speeds between 7.85 m·s^-1 and 12.03 m·s^-1. （4） Implementing sand barrier measures in the 200 MW PV power station reduced the average annual power generation loss rate to 2.9%. Furthermore， the annual panel cleaning costs were reduced by an average of ¥97 300 with the installation of the three types of sand barriers. Economic evaluation revealed that straw checkerboard barriers offer advantages such as low cost and wide material availability， whereas mesh barriers combine high wind reduction efficiency with durability. PLA barriers exhibited exceptional sand-fixing performance owing to their superior ground conformity. The findings provide a theoretical basis and technical support for controlling secondary wind-sand hazards in PV power stations situated in sandy areas.

Key words: Hobq Desert, photovoltaic power station, wind erosion, mechanical sand barriers, economic benefits