Government Allocation of Helium?

[MichigandiverJon]

Hi all. Not really sure where to post this question where it'll be found by someone who knows. But here goes, I'm told by a Dive shop recently that the government has reinstated helium allocation again. I didn't know they had before, but I'm starting to research gear and training for tech. And was checking at a shop I frequent for the possibility of Hp fills and Trimix. I was told that the "world" is running out of helium. I was unaware that helium being could be altered or destroyed by normal means. Any thoughts on the science and reasons for any of this? Thanks folks.

 

[pocky21]

Helium is a finite resource and is one of the only elements with escape velocity, meaning that once released into the atmosphere, it escapes into space.

I heard from a reputable source that Richard Branson is investing in a helium mine on the sun, could be good news for us!

 

[Wookie]

There is plenty of helium in the refining of natural gas, but it isn't worth recovery, it isn't expensive or rare enough. It will be wildly unaffordable as a simple breathing mixture long before it is unaffordable as a cooling gas for MRI/superconducting supercolliders. We'll be SOL before it becomes rare enough to pull from Natural Gas.

 

[MichigandiverJon]

There is plenty of helium in the refining of natural gas, but it isn't worth recovery, it isn't expensive or rare enough. It will be wildly unaffordable as a simple breathing mixture long before it is unaffordable as a cooling gas for MRI/superconducting supercolliders. We'll be SOL before it becomes rare enough to pull from Natural Gas.

Wow! I didn't know it was used as a cooling gas in large scale scientific experiments. Or that it seemingly constantly escapes our atmosphere. If it is constantly escaping, what are some of the natural sources that replenish it? Is it becoming more rare on it's own or through our increased use of it?

 

[Wookie]

It isn't a gas when it's used as a cooling medium, it's sort of a liquid, about -400 degrees? Wiki is a better friend than I am.

 

[waterpirate]

The current thinking on tech breathing gasses is to progress up the chain on open cirvuit and wait/hope the navy finds something else to use before the helium crisis, or switvh to a re breather and stop wasting helium. The current market seems fickle and driven by fear/price gougeing. Some places in the country are reporting 1.00 a cubic foot and up, or none. My OA is still buying for .30 to .40 a cubic foot depending on supplier. Only time will tell how this will all play out. Do not worry, get the training.
Eric

 

[Avonthediver]

Helium is a finite resource and is one of the only elements with escape velocity, meaning that once released into the atmosphere, it escapes into space.

I heard from a reputable source that Richard Branson is investing in a helium mine on the sun, could be good news for us!

. What kind of SPF would you need?

 

[Akimbo]

The current thinking on tech breathing gasses is to progress up the chain on open cirvuit and wait/hope the navy finds something else to use before the helium crisis, or switvh to a re breather and stop wasting helium…

It has been decades since the US Navy was a significant user of Helium for diving. Commercial saturation diving recycles the great majority of their Helium, but they lose more from tiny leaks than all the world navies combined.

The Navy and commercial diving wasted a lot of Helium in the late 1960s through the early 1980s when small-scale recycling and reclamation systems became practical and the DSVs (Diving Support Vessels) became larger. There wasn’t much motivation in the early days because the client paid for gas just like fuel surcharges in most vessel contracts.

The US Navy was using eCCRs on their submarine-based saturation diving work in the 1970s and 80s… and probably today if they have active operations. Their motivation was logistics and stealth rather than economics.

 

[ianr33]

It isn't a gas when it's used as a cooling medium, it's sort of a liquid, about -400 degrees? Wiki is a better friend than I am.

Liquid helium is around 4K (-269C) I use about 70 litres of the LIQUID every month at work (superconducting magnet) Breaks my heart !

No government allocation so far as I know, but Praxair have to make choices as to who gets the helium they have. Hospitals come way above dive shops in the pecking order!

---------- Post added December 28th, 2013 at 05:28 PM ----------

If it is constantly escaping, what are some of the natural sources that replenish it?

Radioactive decay that produces alpha particles Alpha particle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Takes a while though!

 

[waterpirate]

It has been decades since the US Navy was a significant user of Helium for diving. Commercial saturation diving recycles the great majority of their Helium, but they lose more from tiny leaks than all the world navies combined.

The Navy and commercial diving wasted a lot of Helium in the late 1960s through the early 1980s when small-scale recycling and reclamation systems became practical and the DSVs (Diving Support Vessels) became larger. There wasn’t much motivation in the early days because the client paid for gas just like fuel surcharges in most vessel contracts.

The US Navy was using eCCRs on their submarine-based saturation diving work in the 1970s and 80s… and probably today if they have active operations. Their motivation was logistics and stealth rather than economics.

Let me re phrase. When what ever the navy/commercial diving is doing now, trickles down to the rest of us, and is affordable.
Eric