MINES22085 - MINES22085 Helium Recycling System DQ

The Colorado School of Mines (“Mines”), Chemistry Department is needing to install a helium recycling system (“System”) to keep our Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (“NMR”) instruments (500MHz liquid-state NMR and 400MHz solid-state NMR) functional. Liquid helium is required to cool the superconductor NMR magnets. In the open system, the helium boils off and is not recaptured, requiring a replacement “helium fill” every three (3) months.

For our NMR facility, the total annual consumption of liquid helium is approximately 480L total. Mines has been experiencing challenges in acquiring sufficient helium supplies to keep our systems functional.