Abstract The heat transfer performance of a two-channel solar air collector (SAC-2C) incorporating phase change material (PCM) in the absorber plate was investigated. The collector was analyzed using one-dimensional (1-D) global energy balances under unsteady conditions. The thermal evaluation of the SAC-2C was conducted considering four climatic conditions in Mexico (Mexico City, Cuernavaca, Monterrey, and Ciudad Juárez), taking into account the coldest and warmest days of each month in 2023. Additionally, the collector was tested without PCM, and four different PCMs were applied to the absorber plate with thicknesses of 0.01 m and 0.025 m. A parametric study was performed with a total of 864 analysis cases. Implementing PCM technology resulted in a decrease of up to 10.0% in the thermal efficiency of the SAC-2C. However, the PCM system manages to store energy and supply it during periods of low solar radiation. The parametric study found that the best configuration for Mexico City was the SAC-2C with a 25.0 mm thick layer of Rubitherm 25 HC, which can provide up to 10 hours of thermal comfort, has a payback period of 18 years, and prevents the emission of up to 400 kg of CO2 per year per square meter of installation. Similarly, the best configurations were found for each of the climates analyzed. Finally, it was found that PCM technology has a payback period ranging from 9 to 23 years.
Alor et al. (Fri,) studied this question.