Numerical Investigation of an Innovative Windbreak Design with Jet Flow Generated by an Air Curtain for Half-pipe Skiing

The sport of half-pipe skiing, characterized by its dynamic maneuvers and high-speed descents, often faces challenges posed by unpredictable wind conditions.  To address this, an advanced wind-blocking system incorporating an air curtain capable of generating a jet flow is proposed. This pioneering design offers a dual advantage: the system can significantly reduce the windbreak size in the vertical dimension while maintaining a satisfactory wind-blocking effect. A comprehensive study is conducted to analyze the effects of the height of the windbreak and the jet emission angle from the air curtain. When the jet speed is ۴۰ m/s, a ۵۰° emission angle and a ۲ m height of the windbreak result in an optimal wind-blocking effect. Furthermore, delving deeper to understand the underpinnings of this phenomenon, we discovered that a counterrotating vortex pair, which forms in the presence of this jet under crossflow conditions, plays a pivotal role in augmenting the wind-blocking capabilities of the system.

Keywords:

Windbreak , Air Curtain , Wind-blocking effect , Jet in a crossflow , Numerical simulation