Heating potential prediction of a trombe wall system under temperate climate conditions of Mexico: Case of Cwa-Cwb Köppen classification

A thermal evaluation of a trombe wall system (TW) for heating in a Mexican city with a climate within the Köppen classification of Cwa-Cwb is presented. To predict the thermal behavior of the system, a computational code was developed based on the global balance method which was fed with the coldest day and the warmest day weather data of each month. In a first stage, the effect of the wall material was analyzed on the thermal energy supplied by the system, while the second stage addressed the annual thermal evaluation of the TW. It was found that concrete provides 30% more energy than an adobe wall and 23% more than a brick wall. The TW system supplies a total annual energy of 26.87 kWh/m2, presenting a greater amount of supply during autumn and winter with a maximum of 2.19 and 2.67 kWh/m2 corresponding to the coldest day of December and the warmest day of February. On the other hand, during the spring and summer months, it is recommended to dispense the TW system, since it is not able to counteract thermal losses to ambient and could present an unfavorable behavior. •A Trombe wall system was evaluated under climatic conditions within Cwa-Cwb.•A concrete wall provides 30%/23% more energy than an adobe wall/brick wall.•The system has the potential heating to supply a total annual energy of 26.87 kWh/m2.•The TW performs its purpose satisfactorily under the climatic conditions of Cwa-Cwb.