Conceptual Design of the CSP Lead Demonstrator SOLEAD

The NEXTOWER H2020 EU project investigates the possibility of using liquid lead as heat storage medium for high-temperature Thermal Energy Storage (TES) in concentrated solar power plants. To that end, within such project, a demonstration TES unit named SOLEAD (SOlar LEAd Demonstrator) is being developed and will be coupled with an open volumetric air receiver in a solar tower CSP system. The SOLEAD demonstrator will be built and operated at the Plataforma Solar de Almeria (Spain) as a result of the project effort. In the present paper, the conceptual design of the SOLEAD demonstrator is illustrated in details. Basically, SOLEAD is a single-tank thermocline TES system using a pool of liquid lead as heat storage medium. The receiver collects energy from the solar field and heats atmospheric air up to 900°C; the hot air is then used to thermally charge the SOLEAD system through an air-lead primary heat exchanger located in the lower part of the lead pool. In particular, one of the goals