The role of nanofluids in solar thermal energy: A review of recent advances

Abstract

Sun is the most important source of energy on the earth because it's free of cost availability and no harmful environmental effects such as greenhouse gas emission, carbon dioxide emission and climate change. The proper utilization and storage of this available energy is the major problem and challenge for the researcher. Solar energy can be directly converted into thermal energy in form of heat energy and finally into electrical energy without any harmful environmental effects. The lack of petroleum products and its harmful effect on the environment inspired the researchers to think about an alternative source of energy and sun is the best alternative source of solar energy. Using nanofluids as a propelled sort of fluid blend with a little grouping of nanometer-sized strong particles in suspension is a moderately new domain that is under two decades old. Nanofluid is one of the options to store this solar energy and can be utilized when needed. The major objective of this review paper is to find the various applications of nanofluid in the utilization of solar thermal energy such as solar photovoltaic thermal system, solar water heater, solar geothermal, thermoelectric devices etc.