Nanotechnology Applications for Solar Energy Systems

10 Tubular Solar Thermal System: Recent Development and Its Utilization

Arun Kumar Tiwari^* and Amit Kumar

Mechanical Engineering Department, Institute of Engineering & Technology, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow 226021, India^* Corresponding author

10.1 Introduction

The sustainable energy requirement is one of the key issues, which needs significant attention to limit the environmental hazards caused due to the burning of fossil fuels. Thus, the international research communities are intended to replace fossil fuel-based energy generation with renewable energy [1–3]. The development of a renewable energy system not only reduces the dependency on depleting resources of fossil fuels but also helps in the establishment of infrastructure supporting net-zero emissions [4]. Though various sources of renewable energy like wind, geothermal, hydro, solar, tidal, biomass, etc. are utilized extensively in distinct applications, solar energy has been determined to be an outstanding renewable energy source among all owing to its abundant availability [5]. Solar energy has two ways of producing electricity, i.e. solar thermal and photovoltaic (PV). However, for economical large-scale energy production, solar thermal is preferred over photovoltaics. Solar thermal collectors (a type of heat exchanger) are the primary devices, which are utilized in capturing solar irradiance and transforming it into thermal energy [6]. According to their design, solar thermal ...