Helium is usually produced as a byproduct of natural gas
processing. When the natural gas contains more than about 0.4% helium by volume,
a cryogenic distillation method is often used in order to recover the helium
content. Once the helium has been separated from the natural gas, it undergoes
further refining to bring it to 99.99+ % purity for commercial use.
Medical Use
- Helium is the commonly used carrier gas in gas chromatography. Under liquid
state, at -269 °C, helium is the cooling fluid for the MRI, NMR or EPR
magnets.
Industrial Use
- Balloon inflation, leak detection, because the boiling point of helium is
close (-269 °C or -452 °C) to the absolute zero (-273 °C).
- It is also used for cooling of superconducting magnets, in helium neon
lasers, as a component of the special mixtures used in CO2 lasers, blanket
gas to exclude air from certain fabrication processes, and as a heat
transfer material.
Physical and Chemical Properties:
cylinders
- 1m3 to 10m3
- In Racks - 1x16, 1x30 and 1x60
dewars