A comprehensive review analysis on advances of evacuated tube solar collector using nanofluids and PCM

Solar thermal energy is extensively used in industrial and domestic applications like solar drying operation, space heating, water heating, desalting of water, etc. A solar collector is used to convert solar irradiance into thermal energy. By far, Evacuated tube solar collector is the most extensively used solar thermal collector in the market due to less convective losses. Different types such as (heat pipe, thermosiphon, U-Tube) were used by different researchers. Different geometrical modification techniques like integrating reflectors and fins integrated heat pipes were used by various researchers for thermal performance enhancement, but the revolutionary enhancement in its thermal performance was observed when nanofluids and Phase Change Materials were used with the Evacuated tube solar collector. Different numerical models to calculate its energy and exergy performance as well as economic and environmental impacts of the Evacuated tube solar collector are summarized in this review. Cogeneration, trigeneration, and poly-generation applications of the evacuated tube solar collector part will motivate the researchers to generate multiple energy from a single input source simultaneously. Future scope and recommendation part of this paper will help the researchers and practice engineers who want to work on the Evacuated tube solar collector to improve its thermal performance.