A　novel　solar　air　heating　system　based　on　micro-heat　pipe　arrays　was　proposed　in　this　work.　The　system　is　composed　of　an　evacuated　tube　solar　air　heater　with　a　compound　parabolic　concentrator　and　a　latent　heat　storage　unit.　A　set　of　systematic　calculation　and　evaluation　methods　was　proposed　according　to　the　heat　flow　of　the　solar　air　system.　Heat　collection,　heat　storage,　heat　release,　heat　transportation,　and　the　overall　processes　were　considered.　Thereafter,　the　influence　of　connecting　a　latent　heat　storage　unit　on　the　heat　collection　characteristics　of　the　solar　air　heater　was　assessed.　The　thermal　response　and　thermal　performance　of　the　system　under　different　air　volumes　were　studied　using　the　proposed　evaluation　method.　Results　showed　that　after　the　addition　of　the　latent　heat　storage　unit,　the　average　heat　collection　efficiency　of　the　solar　air　heater　dropped　by　approximately　10%.　The　heat　collection,　storage,　release,　and　extraction　power　of　the　system　reached　742.2,　611.0,　448.4,　and　369.6　W,　respectively.　The　average　heat　collection,　storage,　release,　and　transportation　efficiencies　reached　29.6%,　93.5%,　98.6%,　and　91.0%,　respectively.　The　maximum　overall　thermal　efficiency　of　the　system　was　17.7%.　Moreover,　the　results　revealed　that　a　large　air　volume　exerts　a　beneficial　effect　on　heat　collection　performance　but　adversely　influences　the　heat　storage　process.