Helium gas

Helium is indicated by the symbol He (lat. Helium), non-toxic, has no color, smell and taste. Under normal conditions, it is a monatomic gas. Its boiling point (T = 4,216 K) is the smallest among all elements. At atmospheric pressure, it does not go into the solid phase even at absolute zero.

Getting

It is extracted from natural gas by the low-temperature separation process – fractional distillation ( by distillation ).

Application

• to create an inert and protective atmosphere during welding;
• when cutting and melting metals;
• when pumping rocket fuel;
• in cryotechnics;
• for filling airships and balloons;
• as a component of helium-neon lasers;
• as a carrier gas in gas chromatography;
• due to the fact that helium is very poorly soluble in blood, it is used as an integral part of artificial air supplied to divers for breathing, in anesthesia, laser surgery and apparatus that replaces lung function.

Transportation

Helium gas is transported in steel cylinders (40 liters) and in specialized containers. Helium gas is supplied in 40 and 10 liter containers.

Helium is not toxic, not combustible, not explosive. At high concentrations in air, it causes a state of oxygen deficiency and suffocation. Liquid helium can cause frostbite on the skin and damage to the mucous membranes of the eyes.

Gaseous compressed helium – Grade “A”
Volume fraction of helium,% not less than 99.9950
Volume fraction of neon,% no more than 0,0040
Volume fraction of nitrogen,% no more than 0,0005
Volume fraction of oxygen and argon,% no more than 0,0001
Volume fraction of hydrogen,% no more than 0,0001
Volume fraction of carbon dioxide,% no more than 0,0002
Volume fraction of hydrocarbons,% no more than 0,0001
Volume fraction of water vapor,% no more than 0,0005