MgB₂-Based MVDC Superconducting Power Cable in Liquid Hydrogen for Hybrid Energy Distribution

The combination of liquid hydrogen and superconducting cables presents a unique opportunity to distribute both hydrogen and bulk electricity in the same infrastructure. In particular, liquid hydrogen around 20 K is ideally suited for cooling the MgB2 superconductor, resulting in a compact power cable that also leaves sufficient place for the hydrogen flow. Such a hybrid system operating in the MVDC range at 25 kV and 20 kA constitutes one of the main goals of the European project SCARLET. After a description of the rationale and benefits of the electricity - hydrogen system, various possible applications and a first distribution system are presented. Furthermore, the different cable components already designed are discussed along with the research challenges and general strategy for the development.