Application of hot-film probe to aeolian sediment transport research

Due to the need of the high-frequency measurement of wind velocity for the research of the wind-drift sand dynamics at present, the 55R49 hot-film probe was applied to the velocity measurement of wind-sand flow. The performance of velocity measurement, the characteristic of frequency response and the feasibility of measurement in wind-sand flow of the probe were analyzed by the wind-tunnel experiments. The results show that the probe has good performance of velocity and fluctuation frequency measurement under the condition that the wind speed keeps within 20 m/s and the frequency is within the value of 30Hz, respectively. Moreover, if the sand mass concentration is under 1.8625 × 10-5g/cm, the 55R49 probe is safe and reliable. The probe was employed to measure the wind-sand flow under the condition of natural gust in the region of Taklimakan Desert. The measurement data are in accordance with the velocity and frequency distributions of atmospheric boundary layer in the wind-sand flow environment. It is confirmed that the probe is appropriate for the high-frequency measurement in wind-sand flow.