Experimental results of 2018 test campaign of the ALSOLEN 450 prototype for direct steam generation and thermal storage

This paper deals with the 2018 experimental campaign of the ALSOLEN 450 prototype. The ALSOLEN 450 prototype is a CSP plant with direct steam generation coupled with innovative thermal storage. In the first part of the paper, the prototype is described with an emphasis to the storage whose design is of particular interest. Then, some of the results obtain during the 2018 test campaign are discussed. As a starting point, it should be noted that the main outcome of the former experimental campaign (2017) has been the demonstration of the capacity of the prototype to produce superheated steam up to [115b ; 450°C]. During this new campaign, the prototype was successfully operated during 23 days out of 29. The main outcome of this campaign is the demonstration of the capability of the prototype to generate superheated steam at a given and control quality from a Linear Fresnel Reflectors (LFR) solar field with Direct Steam Generation (DSG) and to store this steam into an innovative direct multistage steam storage.