Advances in porous media for solar thermal energy with nanofluid enhanced volumetric receivers and non-Newtonian flow dynamics

This review provides extensive investigation on contemporary solar thermal energy system development in nanofluid-based volumetric solar receiver technology combined with third-grade non-Newtonian fluids. The review considers PVSRs as promising technology due to their ability to achieve high thermal performance through superior solar absorption and heat transfer using foam-based and wire mesh-based and honeycomb-based structures. The addition of base fluids to nanofluids enhances their optical properties and thermal conductivity which improves both energy conversion processes and generates higher thermal efficiency gains. Thermal behaviour of third-grade fluids in porous media becomes the main subject of this research while the review also explores their vigorous rheological properties that affect flow control and heat transmission. Thermal and fluid operation uses advanced mathematical methods to synthesize direct pore-scale models using Monte Carlo ray tracing techniques and PIINs frameworks. This review integrates X-ray CT geometry reconstruction protocols along with computational modelling, ML modelling approaches at various scale levels as well as data-driven strategies serve as essential tools to maximize porous media system performance from design to application and simulation work in renewable energy approaches.