Japanese Researchers Succeed in Transferring Liquid Hydrogen Using Superconductive Pump System

The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and Kyushu University of Japan announced on May 12, 2012, that a project team led by Kajikawa Kazuhiro, an associate professor at Kyushu University, has succeeded with the world's first test of transferring liquid hydrogen under normal pressure using a superconductive pump system. The new technology makes it possible to effectively transfer hydrogen, which is promised to see an increasing demand. The project is part of the activities subsidized by NEDO.

In storing or transferring hydrogen, liquid hydrogen (boiling point: -253°C) under atmospheric pressure has larger density and thus more advantages than hydrogen gas under 700 times normal atmospheric pressure at the normal temperature. Meanwhile, in 2001, Japanese researchers found that the superconductor material magnesium diboride (MgB2) turns out to be superconductive with no electrical resistance in liquid hydrogen. This time, the project team used MgB2 for its newly developed basic technology for utilizing liquid hydrogen.

The pump system is comprised of a pump driven by a superconductive motor produced with MgB2 wire placed in a container of liquid hydrogen, a tube 10 millimeters in diameter connecting to a recipient container, and a liquid level gauge produced using MgB2 wire installed in each of the containers. The liquid level gauge, which is capable of automatic operation based on a program, is used for measuring liquid levels and controlling the rotation speed of the motor. In the test, the system succeeded in transferring liquid hydrogen at about 6.5 liters per minute.

Posted: 2012/07/15 06:00:15 AM