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How was helium extracted to build those reserves in the first place? (Fractional distillation of liquid natural gas?) Is that simply not viable or cost effectiv
by theandrewbailey 7y ago
How was helium extracted to build those reserves in the first place? (Fractional distillation of liquid natural gas?) Is that simply not viable or cost effective anymore?
- pkaye 7y agoI believe a lot of the US government stockpile of helium was from nuclear reaction byproducts.
- corprew 7y agoit's removed from "natural gas" when they make LNG. the amount generated by nuclear reaction byproducts is trivial by comparison. See https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0022311570901923 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0022311570...
- eximius 7y agoSo it'll be running out of helium that will make it finally cost effective? /s
- tedsanders 7y agoYou're thinking of He3 isotopes. Standard He4 is a byproduct from natural gas extraction.
- corprew 7y agoHelium has a lower condensation temperature than Natural Gas, so when they make liquid natural gas for shipping, they can take out some percentage of the helium relatively easily and more with difficulty.