Abstract: The thermal physical characteristics of supercritical CO₂ at 8 MPa, 10 MPa, and 12 MPa and the literature on experimental and numerical studies of supercritical CO₂ flow and heat transfer in horizontal, vertical and helically coiled tubes were summarized, and the literature on the study of supercritical CO₂ flow and heat transfer under non-uniform heat flux boundary conditions was compiled as follows. The secondary circulation generated in the horizontal tube can enhance the flow and heat transfer of supercritical CO₂. The buoyancy effect caused by the variation of density in the vertical tube leads to different trends in the local heat transfer coefficient of supercritical CO₂ in the upward and downward flow along the tube. The effect of both buoyancy and centrifugal force in the helically coiled tube can produce secondary flow in the circumferential cross section and improve the heat transfer efficiency of supercritical CO₂. In addition, the efficiency of solar thermal power generation can be effectively improved by using supercritical CO₂ instead of conventional heat transfer fluids. Whereas, the non-uniform solar flux of the solar receiver will lead to the increase of heat loss and thermal stress, and the further adjustment of the supercritical CO₂ flow distribution to match the solar flux distribution can reduce the heat loss and non-uniform thermal stress.