Effects of Wind Turbine Wake on Dust Transport and Dry Deposition

Previous studies primarily focused on the dry deposition of dust within the atmospheric boundary layer. However, the deployment of wind turbines in dust storm-prone regions has introduced new complexities in dust transport and dry deposition, which remain unresolved. This study employs an Euler-Lagrange coupled approach based on the NREL 5MW wind turbine to numerically simulate dust dynamics within the atmospheric boundary layer under the influence of turbine wake flows. The results indicate that wind turbine significantly suppresses dust transport and enhances dust deposition. Specifically: (1) In the near-wake region, rotor rotation causes upward and downward movement of dust particles near the upper and lower blade tips, respectively, while strong shear layers formed by the shedding of tip vortices lead to dust accumulation. (2) In the far-wake region, the breakdown of tip vortices intensifies flow entrainment, resulting in a polarized vertical dust flux distribution—accelerated dust deposition occurs in the upper wake, while near-ground flux decreases due to dust particles being entrained into the wake. This wake-induced momentum transfer reduces the upward acceleration opposing gravity, thus enhancing the dry deposition of dust particles. This study provides theoretical insights for the development of ecological protection strategies in arid-region wind farms.