Nanofluid-Based Solar Energy Conversion Systems

Nanofluid-based solar energy conversion systems exploit suspensions of nanoscale particles within heat-transfer liquids to achieve simultaneous enhancement of optical absorption and thermal transport. By dispersing metallic, metal-oxide or carbonaceous nanoparticles in water, oil or other base fluids, direct absorption of sunlight within the working medium becomes possible, eliminating reliance on surface coatings and reducing thermal losses. These nanofluids can be tailored to absorb broadly across the solar spectrum, while their elevated thermal conductivity and modified rheology enable more uniform temperature distributions in collectors. Applications include direct absorption solar collectors (DASCs), volumetric receivers in concentrated solar power, and parabolic trough systems using nanofluid loops. Key advances hinge on optimising particle composition, size, shape and concentration to balance high photothermal conversion efficiency with long-term colloidal stability and minimal pumping penalty. The development of theoretical models for radiative transfer and anomalous heat and mass diffusion underpins design of next-generation nanofluid solar collectors, with a view to scalable, low-cost renewable energy systems that meet global sustainable-energy targets.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Nanofluid-Based Solar Energy Conversion Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanofluid-based solar energy conversion systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Nanofluid: A suspension of nanoparticles in a base liquid designed to enhance thermal and optical properties.

Direct absorption solar collector (DASC): A solar thermal device in which the working fluid directly absorbs incident sunlight, converting it to heat throughout the fluid volume.

Plasmonic effect: Resonant oscillation of conduction electrons in metallic nanoparticles, leading to strong light absorption at specific wavelengths.

Extinction coefficient: A measure of the attenuation of light (by absorption and scattering) per unit path length in a medium.

Thermal conductivity: A material property quantifying its ability to conduct heat, crucial for uniform temperature distribution in solar collectors.

References

1. Review of classical and nonlocal nanofluid models for solar collectors. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (2025).
2. Efficient solar-thermal energy conversion with surfactant-free Cu-oxide nanofluids. Nano Energy (2023).
3. Nanofluid optical property characterization: towards efficient direct absorption solar collectors. Discover Nano (2011).
4. Full-spectrum volumetric solar thermal conversion via graphene/silver hybrid plasmonic nanofluids. Applied Energy (2018).
5. Performance Evaluation of a Nanofluid-Based Direct Absorption Solar Collector with Parabolic Trough Concentrator. Nanomaterials (2015).