Wind-load characteristics of photovoltaic arrays over dune terrain with windbreak barriers

The construction of photovoltaic (PV) power stations on dune landforms represents an important pathway for coordinating ecological protection and energy development. However, PV arrays in dune regions are vulnerable to strong winds, making windbreak barriers an important protective measure for reducing wind loads. Previous studies have primarily investigated the wind-protection effects of windbreak barriers on PV systems over flat terrain, whereas the wind-load characteristics of PV arrays under the coupled effects of windbreak barriers and dune terrain remain underexplored. Therefore, numerical simulations were used to investigate the effects of windbreak barrier porosity, installation distance, barrier height, and PV panel tilt angle on the wind-load characteristics of PV arrays in dune terrain. The results show that, as barrier porosity increases, the absolute value of the overall resultant force coefficient of the PV array (∣CN∣) first decreases and then increases, reaching a minimum at a porosity of 0.4. Increasing the distance between the barrier and the PV array causes the leeward recirculation zone to shift forward and weakens the wind-protection effect. As barrier height increases, the CN initially decreases markedly and then tends to stabilize at a height of 2 m, where it is ∼54.12% lower than that under the no-barrier condition. With increasing PV panel tilt angle, the overall ∣CN∣ first decreases and then increases, reaching a minimum at a tilt angle of 30°. This study provides a theoretical reference for optimizing windbreak barrier parameters and improving the wind-resistant design of PV power stations in dune regions.