Optimization Procedure to Design a DC Transmission Line with MgB2 Wires in Liquid Hydrogen

In this article, the optimization tool called OSCaR, suited for the techno-economic analysis of superconducting cables, is applied to determine the lowest-cost configuration of an MgB₂ DC transmission line cooled with liquid hydrogen (LH₂). The tool includes a 1D fluid-dynamic numerical model to analyze the hydraulic behavior of the LH₂, able to compare the temperature increase and pressure drop of the coolant along the line. The model is applied to determine the lowest-cost configuration of a transmission line of different power levels, between 500 MW to 3 GW, and with different line voltages, set to 50 kV, 110 kV and 220 kV. The results in terms of costs and cable geometries are compared for transmission lines of varying length, between 5 km and 100 km.