Abstract

CRUZ COLAZO, JUAN et al. Diseño de un túnel de viento portátil para el estudio de la erosión eólica. Cienc. suelo [online]. 2016, vol.34, n.2, pp.341-347. ISSN 1850-2067.

Wind erosion (WE) is an irreversible soil degradation process of arid and semiarid regions. With portable wind tunnels it is possible to simulate WE controlling critical variables such as wind speed and direction, duration of erosive events; and soil surface parameters under natural conditions as moisture, roughness and cover level. The objectives of this study were: 1) to describe the main aspects of the design and operation of a portable wind tunnel to study WE, and 2) to calibrate the wind tunnel to fit the aerodynamics criterions related to the development of a vertical wind profile and an eroded material distribution similar to natural conditions. The main components of wind tunnel are chassis, engine, wind fan, s-shaped section, honeycomb diffusor, the stabilization section and the working sections. These sections have 2 m length; 0.5 m width and 1 m height. The wind tunnel was calibrated in an Entic Haplustoll in a bare and flat surface. The maximum measured velocity reached at 0.6 m was 22.5 m s^-1, implying that the wind tunnel allows simulating field erosive wind velocities. The vertical wind profile and eroded material distribution are similar to those produced under natural field conditions. The use of this wind tunnel will improve the study of basic processes and technology for wind erosion control of soils of Argentina, also it will serve as a guide for future wind tunnel developments to study wind erosion.

Keywords : Measurement methodology; Vertical wind profile; Vertical distribution of wind-eroded material.

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