Performance of a new solar air heater with packed-bed latent storage energy for nocturnal use

• A new solar air heater collector using a phase change material.
• Experimental study of the new solar air heater collector with latent storage.
• Energy and exergy analysis of the solar heater with latent storage collector.
• Nocturnal use of solar air heater collector.

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the thermal performance of a new solar air heater collector using a packed bed of spherical capsules with a latent heat storage system. Using both first and second law of thermodynamics, the energetic and exegetic daily efficiencies were calculated in Closed/Opened and Opened cycle mode. The solar energy was stored in the packed bed through the diurnal period and extracted at night. The experimentally obtained results are used to analyze the performance of the system, based on temperature distribution in different localization of the collectors. The daily energy efficiency varied between 32% and 45%. While the daily exergy efficiency varied between 13% and 25%.