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What are some uses of helium?
Helium is used as an inert-gas atmosphere for welding metals such as aluminum; in rocket propulsion (to pressurize fuel tanks, especially those for liquid hydrogen, because only helium is still a gas at liquid-hydrogen temperature); in meteorology (as a lifting gas for instrument-carrying balloons); in cryogenics (as a …
What industry uses the most helium?
Cryogenic Uses The largest share of helium in the United States is accounted for by cryogenic applications, which take advantage of helium’s uniquely low boiling point. Cryogenic uses range from medical uses and high-technology manufacturing to science and technology investigations in academic laboratories.
How is helium used in manufacturing?
Known as “heat transfer,” helium is used for cooling in high-tech manufacturing operations. For example, in fiber optic cable manufacturing, liquid helium’s low temperature and non-volatile nature makes it ideal to cool silica strands. Helium is also used as a coolant in semiconductor manufacturing.
How is helium used for medicine?
This rare element is critical to medicine where ultra-low-temperature liquid helium is used to cool the superconducting magnets in MRI scanners. The growth of medical cryogenics and industrial uses has caused a dramatic imbalance between supply and demand.
What company is the largest producer of helium?
ExxonMobil is the largest liquid helium producer, with its crude feed coming from helium-rich CO2 and methane gas fields in Wyoming.
Why do hospitals use helium?
The main medical use of liquid helium is for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. Liquid helium is needed as a refrigerant for the superconducting magnets that are critical components in many of these devices.
Why is helium used in computers?
Helium used in hard drives can expand storage capacity of drives by as much as 50 percent. Reduced turbulence within hard drives and computers also means much less friction occurs, which allows hard drives to run at cooler temperatures to avoid overheating.
What company produces helium?
Air Liquide, Air Products, Linde, Matheson-Trigas, and Praxair are the main companies involved in primary worldwide helium distribution.
Why is helium used in MRI machines?
Liquid helium is used to cool down the superconductive magnets coil in MRI scanners to a temperature below 10 Kelvin. Superconductivity is a physical effect that occurs in various materials when they are subjected to extremely low temperatures.
How balloons are used in medicine?
Dilatation: High-pressure medical balloons apply a force to dilate restrictions or unblock arteries. Stent Delivery: High-pressure balloons are commonly used to deploy and post-dilate stents to reduce the rate of arterial restenosis and acute reclosure following angioplasty.