Helium
What is Helium?
It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, totally unreactive gas. It is the first in the noble gas group in the periodic table. Its boiling point is the lowest among all the elements. Helium is the second lightest and second most abundant element in the observable universe.
Helium is used as a cooling medium for the superconducting magnets in MRI scanners and NMR spectrometers. It is also used to keep satellite instruments cool and was used to cool the liquid oxygen and hydrogen that powered the Apollo space vehicles.
Because of its low-density, helium is often used to fill decorative balloons, weather balloons and airships. Helium is also used to detect leaks, such as in car air-conditioning systems, and because it diffuses quickly it is used to inflate car airbags after impact. A mixture of 80% helium and 20% oxygen is used as an artificial atmosphere for deep-sea divers and others working under pressurized conditions.
Uses for Helium
We offer compressed and liquid helium in various grades specific to different applications, such as:
- A shielding gas for welding
- A furnace atmosphere in heat-treating processes
- A cryogenic in MRI and NMR machinery
- A carrier gas in gas chromatography
- A lift gas for balloons and airships
- A refrigerant gas in cooling systems
