TITLE:
Analysis of the Application of Nanofluids in the Capture and Utilization of Renewable Energy
AUTHORS:
Subbiah Muthuraman, Natarajan Saravanan, Murugan Sivaraj, Ayyappan Kumar
KEYWORDS:
Sustainable Energy, Nanofluid, Solar Energy, Thermal Conductivity, Solar Collector
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.12 No.3,
March
26,
2025
ABSTRACT: Solar energy is becoming a viable and alternative renewable energy source. The sun generates solar energy, whereas fossil fuels are extracted, which is detrimental to the environment. The availability of fossil fuels is diminishing, although solar energy is plentiful. The utilization of fossil fuels to fulfil our requirements, such as electricity, produces energy applicable to diverse purposes. The combustion of fossil fuels generates detrimental gasses, resulting in air, water, and soil pollution, thereby adversely impacting the ecosystem. Simultaneously, it adversely impacts both humans and wildlife. The second point is that the combustion of fossil fuels induces climate change, which affects the ecology and ecosystem. Climate change is causing the extinction of several animal and plant species on Earth. Fossil fuels emit greater quantities of detrimental gasses that exacerbate the likelihood of the greenhouse effect. In the future, solar energy will serve as an exemplary alternative to fossil fuels due to its lack of adverse impacts. Considering these significant factors, we have provided an extensive overview of the growing technology involving the application of nanofluid in solar energy harvesting systems, which enhances the performance of solar systems using nanofluid. A proficient approach to enhancing the thermal efficiency of solar energy systems is the utilization of nanofluid as a superior heat transfer fluid with enhanced thermophysical characteristics. This review study aims to examine recent advancements in the comprehensive applications of nanofluids in solar energy harvesting systems, including solar water heaters, solar concentrators or collectors, solar PV/T systems, and solar stills. This review will examine the impacts of fossil fuel utilization, followed by an analysis of nanomaterials and their characteristics. Lastly, we will examine the various applications of nanofluids in diverse solar energy systems.