WHAT THE HELIUM????

[mvwicker]

The US Helium production/storage initially was setup to primarily for war time use in blimps and airships in early part of the last century. Germany did not have the ability to product enough HE for Zeppelins so they had to use Hydrogen since the US would not sell HE to Germany. Companies will eventually start producing HE when they can make money off the gas. I don't think we are going to run out of HE because the US government stops subsidizing HE production/storage. Even the link says we have a 25 year reserve. When the reserve is down to 5 years, then start worrying. :laughing: We have bigger problems that need attention NOW.

Later,
Dan

Good point. When the world's He supply drops below a certain point we will start looking for more. The stuff has certainly accumulated elsewhere underground.

This is like the alarm over the world's 40-year supply of proven petroleum reserves, which has been the case since at least the 1970s. We will continue to have a 40-year supply because it is not profitable to explore for oil if the proven reserves are too abundant, but when they drop too low it is worthwhile to search for more.

 

[Artisan]

A couple of months ago my welder told me the price
or Helium doubled and he was told it is going to be very hard
to even get it soon... perhaps if everyone keeps breeding
like they are (not me) things will get better ehh? :muttering:

 

[k0ua]

we need to keep filling up party balloons and releasing them so we can drive the price up so we can look for some more?:confused3: Well what the heck.. if we have a 25 year supply as is... and the earth comes to an end on dec 22 2012... I guess we are good to go?

just poking some fun.. nothing serious..

James K0UA

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Actually, helium, the second lightest element (hydrogen is the lightest), escapes from the atmosphere very quickly. Helium comes from natural gas wells where it accumulates over millions of years from radioactive decay of uranium, radium and thorium in the rocks that form the walls of the underground chambers. Most of our helium comes from natural gas wells north of Amarillo, TX. Helium is stripped off the natural gas stream before the natural gas is sent into the pipelines. I used my share of liquid helium during my 32 year career as an aerospace engineer for space simulation work (ultracold shrouds in high vacuum chambers) and for fusion energy research (superconducting magnets).

You're joshing us, right? Helium comes from a bottle...you just turn the valve and fill up your balloon!

Didn't use much Helium, but did have cause to use Hydrogen during my tenure in a research lab. I will never forget, during a tour of our labratory, one of the folks noticed the sign: "Caution...Hydrogen in Use". Her remark: "Yes! I can smell it!"...Funny, I never did!

 

[jmurray01]

Firstly, that title made me laugh! :laughing:

Secondly, I never understood why balloons were filled with helium and not just plain old air like they put in car tyres et al.

Seems mad to me.

 

[k0ua]

Firstly, that title made me laugh! :laughing:

Secondly, I never understood why balloons were filled with helium and not just plain old air like they put in car tyres et al.

Seems mad to me.

are you serious?

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Firstly, that title made me laugh! :laughing:

Secondly, I never understood why balloons were filled with helium and not just plain old air like they put in car tyres et al.

Seems mad to me.

If you fill them with air, they don't get mistaken for flying saucers.

 

[dmccarty]

If you fill them with air, they don't get mistaken for flying saucers.

Nor will the balloons land in my trees when lost from the near by church. :laughing:

Your child also wont cry when they let go of the balloon to open the car door. :shocked:

Later,
Dan