Helium Gas

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Helium (He) is a colourless, odourless, non-toxic, non-corrosive and non-combustible gas. It is mainly sourced from natural gas wells. This valuable gas is in short supply the world over, which is why many applications incorporate recovery and recycling systems.

Helium is used as a super coolant for cryogenic applications, lift gas for balloons, meteorological balloons, airships and blimps. Helium is applied as a shielding gas in arc welding and plasma arc welding. Helium is used in pressure purging operations, leak detection, as carrier gas and purging gas for gas chromatography and in semiconductors manufacturing.

Helium is used as a coolant during fibre optic cable manufacturing, as the heat transfer medium in the new generation nuclear reactors, as deep-sea diving gas, as a working gas in lasers and lighting. Helium is used in some hard drives. Helium is also applied in solar telescopes and thermoacoustic heat pumps.
Applications

Helium’s presence on earth was confirmed in 1895, however, it was first discovered in 1868 when French astronomer, Pierre Janssen, witnessed an unknown gas during a solar eclipse. This is where the name ‘Helium’ originated, as it was named after the Greek God of the sun, Helios.

  • Balloons: As already mentioned, the most common use for helium gas is for decorative balloons. However, this has since stretched to helium for weather balloons and airships. (Fun fact: hydrogen was originally used to fill balloons but it is a highly reactive gas.)
  • Medical Applications: Helium gas can be used for respiratory ailments to treat conditions such as asthma and emphysema.
  • Car/Vehicles: As helium is a very unreactive element, it is used to detect leaks in car air-conditioning systems. It is also used to inflate airbags as helium can diffuse quicker than most unreactive gases.
  • Helium can be used for lasers because even at high temperatures, the gas will not bond or react with other elements.
  • An artificial atmosphere is created using 20% oxygen and 80% helium to keep divers and others who work in pressurised conditions safely. The ability to consistently monitor this artificial atmosphere is something that Analox specialises in.
  • Helium is used in a large range of applications due to the extreme unique properties of the noble gas.