Applications of nucleate boiling in renewable energy and thermal management and recent advances in modeling--a review

Notwithstanding the gradual substitution of conventional fossil fuels with sustainable energies, the enduring relevance of nucleate boiling persists, owing to its remarkable prowess in heat transfer. This article undertakes a comprehensive review of the diverse applications of nucleate boiling within the renewable energy (concentrated solar thermal and geothermal energy) and unconventional thermal management (concentrator photovoltaic, wind turbine, electronic battery and fuel cell) as witnessed in recent years. These initial forays have incontrovertibly validated the vast potential of boiling across various nascent fields. Nevertheless, considerable scope remains for refining both the design of its energy conversion schemes and the methodologies employed in boiling modeling. Furthermore, the latest advancements in theoretical modeling of nucleate boiling are reviewed as well. In the future, greater emphasis will be placed on comprehending the intricacies of bubble dynamics, while adopting transient simulations and differentiation of individual bubbles. The objective of this article is to foster effective communication between researchers operating within the realm of renewable energy systems and unconventional thermal management and those engaged in the conventional study of boiling, thereby facilitating the wider application and optimal utilization of nucleate boiling within the domain of unconventional energy systems.