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Home & Retail Balloon Helium Supply. You've come to the right place. Get the balloon helium you need for your business. Dedicated to getting you what you need, when. Helium is not 'made', it is just extracted from where it occurs naturally. The amount of helium in the air is incredibly small and it is too expensive to separate it. The best source for it is in natural gas where it has accumulated gradually over billions of years from the natural radioactivity in the earth's core.

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Originally Answered: What are good ways to make Helium at home? Get a few pounds of yellowcake (uranium ore), wrap it in aluminum foil or newspaper and seal it up in a stout plastic bag. Over a long period of time, the bag will inflate with helium. Shop for helium tank balloon kit online at Target. Party Supplies Holiday Shop Pets Sports & Outdoors Home $0 – $15 $15 – $25 $25 – $50 $50 – $100 $100.

Helium blimp: Most people have heard of helium being used as a lifting gas for weather balloons, blimps, and party balloons. These are very minor uses of helium. The use that consumes more helium than any other is cooling the magnets in MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machines in medical facilities. Goodyear blimp photo by Derek Jensen.

What is Helium?

Helium is a chemical element and a colorless, odorless, tasteless, inert gas. It has the smallest atomic radius of any element and the second-lowest atomic weight. It is lighter than air.

Most people know that helium is used as a lifting gas in blimps and party balloons, but they can't name another way in which it is used. The number one use of helium is as a cooling gas for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines used in medical facilities. Other important uses of helium include: a protective gas for welding, an inert gas for controlled atmosphere manufacturing, a fugitive gas used for leak detection, and a low-viscosity gas for pressurized breathing mixtures.

Where Does Helium Come From?

Very little helium is present in Earth's atmosphere. It is such a light element that Earth's gravity cannot hold it. When present at Earth's surface, unconfined helium immediately begins rising until it escapes the planet. That's why party balloons rise!

The helium that is produced commercially is obtained from the ground. Some natural gas fields have enough helium mingled with the gas that it can be extracted at an economical cost. A few fields in the United States contain over 7% helium by volume. Companies that drill for natural gas in these areas produce the natural gas, process it and remove the helium as a byproduct.

Helium-bearing natural gas deposits: Deposit model for helium-bearing natural gas fields in the United States. Helium is produced by the decay of uranium and thorium in granitoid basement rocks. The liberated helium is buoyant and moves toward the surface in porosity associated with basement faults. The helium then moves upward through porous sedimentary cover until it is trapped with natural gas under beds of anhydrite or salt. These are the only laterally-persistent rock types that are able to trap and contain the tiny, buoyant helium atoms. This geological situation only occurs at a few locations in the world and is why rich helium accumulations are rare.

Helium At Home Depot

Related:A New Use of Helium - Hard Drives

Why is Helium in Some Natural Gas?

Most of the helium that is removed from natural gas is thought to form from radioactive decay of uranium and thorium in granitoid rocks of Earth's continental crust. As a very light gas, it is buoyant and seeks to move upward as soon as it forms.

The richest helium accumulations are found where three conditions exist: 1) granitoid basement rocks are rich in uranium and thorium; 2) the basement rocks are fractured and faulted to provide escape paths for the helium; and, 3) porous sedimentary rocks above the basement faults are capped an impermeable seal of halite or anhydrite. [1] When all three of these conditions are met, helium might accumulate in the porous sedimentary rock layer.

Helium has the smallest atomic radius of any element, about 0.2 nanometers. So, when it forms and starts moving upward, it can fit through very small pore spaces within the rocks. Halite and anhydrite are the only sedimentary rocks that can block the upward migration of helium atoms. Shales that have their pore spaces plugged with abundant organic materials (kerogen) sometimes serve as a less effective barrier.

Helium-bearing natural gas deposits: Map showing the natural gas fields that serve as important sources of helium in the United States. The natural gas produced from these fields contains between 0.3% to over 7% helium. The helium is removed from the gas for commercial sale. Image by Geology.com using location data from the United States Geological Survey. [2]

Where is Natural Gas Rich in Helium?

Most unprocessed natural gas contains at least trace amounts of helium. Very few natural gas fields contain enough to justify a helium recovery process. A natural gas source must contain at least 0.3% helium to be considered as a potential helium source.

In 2010, all of the natural gas processed for helium in the United States came from fields in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming as shown on the accompanying map. The Hugoton Field in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas; the Panoma Field in Kansas; the Keyes Field in Oklahoma; the Panhandle West and Cliffside Fields in Texas, and the Riley Ridge Field in Wyoming account for most of the helium production in the United States. [2]

During 2010, the United States produced 128 million cubic meters of helium. Of that amount, 53 million cubic meters of helium were extracted from natural gas, and 75 million cubic meters were withdrawn from the National Helium Reserve. Other countries with known production amounts were: Algeria (18 mcm), Qatar (13 mcm), Russia (6 mcm), and Poland (3 mcm). Canada and China produced small but unreported amounts of helium. [3]

Helium in MRI machines: The number one use of helium is cooling the magnets in the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machines used to diagnose disease and injury in medical facilities.

A New Use for Helium: The first helium-sealed hard drive was produced in 2013. Helium enables the drive to use less energy, produce less heat, make less noise, take up less space, hold more data and produce fewer vibrations than a standard hard drive. Learn more. Photo copyright iStockphoto / deepblue4you.

Uses of Helium

Helium has a number of properties that make it exceptionally well-suited for certain uses. In some of these uses, helium is the best possible gas to use, and in a few there is no adequate substitute for helium. Several uses of helium along with the properties that make it suitable for the use are described below.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The number one use of helium is in the magnetic resonance imaging machines used in medical facilities to assess injuries and diagnose illness. These machines utilize a magnetic field that is produced by a superconducting magnet. These magnets generate an enormous amount of heat. Liquid helium is the cooling substance of choice for regulating the temperature of these magnets. Because helium has the second-lowest specific heat of any gas and the lowest boiling/melting point of any element, there is no foreseen substitute for helium in this very important use.

Lifting Gas

Helium has the second-lowest atomic weight of any element. Only hydrogen has a lower atomic weight. As a lighter-than-air gas, helium has been used as a 'lifting gas' for airships and balloons. Blimps, dirigibles, zeppelins, anti-aircraft balloons, weather balloons and other lighter-than-air craft have all used helium as a lifting gas. It is much safer than hydrogen because it is not flammable. This was the most important category of helium use until the end of World War II. Much lower amounts of helium are now used as a lifting gas.

Purging gas: Helium is used by NASA and the Department of Defense to purge liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen from fuel tanks and fuel delivery systems of rocket engines. Helium is inert and has a freezing temperature that is so low that it remains a gas through the purging process. A flow of helium into these systems has even been used during emergencies to extinguish fires. Image by NASA.

Purging Gas

Helium has the lowest melting and boiling point of any gas. It melts and boils at temperatures close to absolute zero. Because it remains a gas at very low temperatures, it can be used as a purging gas for fuel tanks and fuel delivery systems that are filled with very cold liquids such as liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Because it is inert and has a low freezing temperature, it can displace these fuels safely without freezing. Large amounts of helium are used by NASA and the Department of Defense for purging rocket propulsion systems.

Controlled Atmosphere Manufacturing

Helium is an inert gas. The only gas with a lower reactivity is neon. This low reactivity makes helium a valuable gas to use in manufacturing and repair processes when an inert atmosphere is required. Helium also has the second-lowest density of any gas along with a very high thermal conductivity. These properties of helium gas make it the atmosphere of choice for many metallurgical processes, growing perfect crystals in chemical vapors, manufacturing optical fibers and other uses.

Leak Detection

Helium has a very low viscosity, a high diffusion coefficient, and the smallest atom of any element. These characteristics make helium very hard to contain. If a system has a leak, helium will escape. Helium gas is therefore used to test high vacuum systems, fuel systems and other containments for leaks.

Helium breathing mixtures: Helium is used to prepare breathing gas mixtures for deep-water diving. Helium is inert and has a low viscosity under pressure which allows easier breathing. Image by NOAA.

Breathing Mixtures

Helium and other inert gases are used to prepare breathing mixtures for deep-water diving and medical treatments. Helium is used here because it is inert, has a very low viscosity and is easier to breathe under pressure than any other gas.

Welding Gas

Helium is used as a protective atmosphere when welding. An inert gas atmosphere protects hot metals from oxidation and other reactions that might occur rapidly at high temperatures.

Uses of helium: Relative amounts of helium consumed by various uses in the United States during 2011. Graph by Geology.com using data from USGS.

Helium: A Nonrenewable Resource

Helium is a gas that is only found where a coincidence of unlikely situations occur. Although it is continually being produced by radioactive mineral decay in Earth's crust, its rate of natural production and accumulation is so slow that it must be considered a nonrenewable resource.

At Home Helium Tank

Helium Gluts and Helium Shortages

In 1925 the United States established the National Helium Reserve to serve as a strategic supply of helium for use in airships and for other defense purposes. At that time the country was producing much more helium than was being consumed. After World War II the amount of helium used as a lifting gas declined, but demand for helium as a purging gas when refueling rocket engines and as a coolant in nuclear weapons facilities surged. Still, more helium was being produced than consumed.

In 1995, Congress decided that the National Helium Reserve was not essential and initiated a program to sell the helium as part of the Helium Privatization Act of 1996. [4] For almost two decades Congress allowed the helium to be sold at an enormous discount to free-market prices. Up to 1/2 of the world's helium demand was being met through sales from the National Helium Reserve. In some years more helium was exported out of the United States to other countries than was consumed domestically. [2] Those who purchased helium from the government got a fantastic deal, and those who purchased helium in the free market paid a much higher price.

Dumping of National Helium Reserve stock into the market depressed the price of helium so much that it was being used as a cheap substitute for argon and other gases that have a much less limited supply.

Because commercial helium production was not rewarded or heavily utilized, the market was undersupplied when National Helium Reserve sales were replaced by an auction system in 2014. In the first auction, two bidders purchased the entire yearly allocation of 93 million cubic feet of helium at more than double the previous year's market price. After the auction another 1 billion cubic feet was sold to the same two bidders. [5]

Since the first auction, the price of helium continued to rise because production of new helium falls short of consumption. The price increase has triggered investment in new helium processing plants. However, helium can only be produced from natural gas fields with salt or anhydrate as a trap rock. These only occur in a few parts of the world.

Under current law, the National Helium Reserve will be sold-out by 2021. Hopefully the rising investment in helium recovery plants will be adequate to meet the needs of helium consumers when that important source of helium is gone.

Rather than combining drugs with the plastic bag, it is also possible to cause unconsciousness using gas. The method is to fill the bag with gas, so that rather than breathing in oxygen, the gas is inhaled instead. This does not interfere with the body's unconscious desire to breathe, but the gas inhaled has no oxygen.

Since the gas being breathed in has no oxygen, what is breathed out has no carbon dioxide. This combats the problem of breathing in air with high CO₂ concentration where the body starts to get alarmed.

According to Nitschke & Stewart¹, and the Alt Suicide Holiday website², breathing in a gas with no oxygen content should render unconsciousness in a matter of seconds. Estimates for time to death with this method were not easy to find, although it would seem less than 10 minutes. 20 minutes of gas is said by Nitschke & Stewart to be more than enough to ensure death. Death should be relatively painless, although before being rendered unconscious there will be brief panic knowing that the body is not breathing in air. On discovery, the body will look like death was peaceful.

Tasteless, odourless and non irritating gasses are sensible for this method. Helium, argon and nitrogen all fulfil those requirements, and are readily available to purchase (helium especially).

The method works by running a pipe from the gas container into the bag, filling it with the gas, breathing out fully (important), then placing the bag, emptied of oxygen then filled with gas, around the head, ensuring the bag is sealed to the neck with elastic. The pipe from the gas container must keep flowing into the bag to ensure the gas concentrations are maintained, and a gas flow regulator can be helpful to ensure the gas flows in at a good rate.

A few deep breaths in and out are all that is required to cause unconsciousness (can be up to two minutes though), with death following in around 13 minutes, although can take up to 40 minutes. An 8.8 cubic feet tank of helium should be enough to achieve this, although a bigger 14.9 cubic feet tank better. It is possible to join up two smaller tanks but that adds complication and risk of failure.

It is probably also possible to use a small tent that can be sealed. Ideally pushing out all the air whilst inside it, making sure most air is pushed out before sealing the tent, then filling it up with helium, argon or nitrogen. However, this method might require using more gas, and does not seem to be discussed in suicide literature and forums as the preferred way of performing this method.

Nitschke & Stewart¹ in the Peaceful Pill Handbook describe in great detail how to create a reliable 'exit' bag to use with this method. They also discuss recommended gas flows into the bag, how much gas is required and how to regulate the gas flow, thus maximising the chances of swift unconsciousness and the gas lasting long enough to ensure death. Their forum also have numerous discussions on this subject. Helium flow control kits, and gauge & hose kits, are available for sale from the Peaceful Pill Handbook website under 'Buy now'.

Alt Suicide Holiday² also have extensive information on this method, together with some reports from people who had difficulty using this method, and possible explanations on where they went wrong.

Whilst this method would seem highly effective, certain details must be done right otherwise brain damage is possible. It would be highly advisable for anyone considering this method to consult the videos and text in the Peaceful Pill Handbook first, and check the information on Alt Suicide Holiday.

It is important to be able to breathe freely for this method, as swift unconsciousness relies on taking deep breaths of the gas. Anyone with severe respiratory problems (e.g. emphysema or lung cancer) should not consider this method. Likewise, this method does require some preparation and co-ordination to carry out effectively. It may thus not suit someone who lacks manual dexterity or has no mobility.

This method causes swift unconsciousness so is not recommended for suicidal gestures. There is very little time for a change of mind.

Dangers of this method are permanent brain damage if it is interrupted before completion, as once the brain is starved of oxygen, brain damage starts to occur. It is therefore important that there is no chance of discovery whilst using this method.

Another vital factor is to ensure there is sufficient gas (see above) to ensure death, and that there is no chance of tearing/removing the bag over the head (or tent) whilst unconscious (which might happen if the bag is not fixed snugly and, say, if the attempt is carried out sitting, and unconsciousness results in falling off the chair and the bag becoming dislodged).

Anyone seriously considering this method of suicide is advised to read Help me first.

Source

1. Dr Phillip Nitschke with Dr Fiona Stewart, The Peaceful Pill eHandbook (www.peacefulpillhandbook.com), revised November 2011, and forum www.peacefulpillhandbook.com/forum.

2. Alt Suicide Holiday website, http://ash2.wikkii.com/wiki/Helium, with their information taken from a range of sources but including Dr. Pieter V. Admiraal, Guide to a Humane Self-Chosen Death (2006).