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      Helium
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      He

      Helium

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      Helium
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      He
      Helium

      Physical Properties

      Under solid (grey), liquid (blue) and vapor states (white) along the equilibrium curves

      • General properties
      • Solid phase
      • Liquid Phase
      • Gas Phase
      (P)
      log(P)
      Download
      • Molecular weight
        4.003
        g/mol
      • Content in dry air
        5.24
        ppm
         5.24 ppm 5.24E-4 vol% 5.24E-6 vol/vol

      Critical Point

      • Temperature
        - 267.95
        °C
         - 450.31 °F 5.2 K
      • Pressure
        2.275
        bar
         2.275E5 pa 32.9961 lbf/in2 2.2453 Atm 227.5 Kpa 1706.395 mmHg
      • Density
        69.85
        kg/m³
         4.3606 lb/ft³

      Triple Point

      • Temperature
        - 270.97
        °C
         - 455.746 °F 2.18 K
      • Pressure
        5.042E-2
        bar
         5042 pa 7.3128E-1 lbf/in2 4.9761E-2 Atm 5.042 Kpa 37.8182 mmHg
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Melting point
        - 271.38
        °C
         - 456.484 °F 1.77 K
      • Latent heat of fusion (at melting point)
        12.492
        kJ/kg
         5.3742 Btu/lb 2.9857 kcal/kg
      • Solid density
        /
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Liquid density (at boiling point)
        124.74
        kg/m³
         7.7872 lb/ft³
      • Boiling point
        - 268.93
        °C
         - 452.074 °F 4.22 K
      • Latent heat of vaporization (at boiling point)
        20.754
        kJ/kg
         8.9286 Btu/lb 4.9603 kcal/kg
      Pressure1.013barTemperature
      • Compressibility factor Z
        1.0005
        1.0005
        1.0005
      • Cp/Cv ratio γ
        1.6665
        1.6665
        1.6665
      • Dynamic viscosity
        1.8695E-4
        Po
         18.695 µPa.s 1.8695E-5 PA.S 1.2562E-5 lb/ft/s
        1.9388E-4
        Po
         19.388 µPa.s 1.9388E-5 PA.S 1.3028E-5 lb/ft/s
        1.9846E-4
        Po
         19.846 µPa.s 1.9846E-5 PA.S 1.3336E-5 lb/ft/s
      • Gas density at boiling point
        16.753
        kg/m³
         1.0459 lb/ft³
        16.753
        kg/m³
         1.0459 lb/ft³
        16.753
        kg/m³
         1.0459 lb/ft³
      • Gas density
        1.784E-1
        kg/m³
         1.1137E-2 lb/ft³
        1.692E-1
        kg/m³
         1.0563E-2 lb/ft³
        1.635E-1
        kg/m³
         1.0207E-2 lb/ft³
      • Heat capacity at constant pressure Cp
        5.1931
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.2412 BTU/lb∙°F 5193.124 J/kg∙K 1.2412 kcal/kg∙K
        5.1929
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.2411 BTU/lb∙°F 5192.875 J/kg∙K 1.2411 kcal/kg∙K
        5.1929
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.2411 BTU/lb∙°F 5192.875 J/kg∙K 1.2411 kcal/kg∙K
      • Heat capacity at constant volume Cv
        3.116
        kJ/(kg.K)
         7.4474E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 3115.975 J/kg∙K 7.4474E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        3.116
        kJ/(kg.K)
         7.4474E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 3115.975 J/kg∙K 7.4474E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        3.116
        kJ/(kg.K)
         7.4474E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 3115.975 J/kg∙K 7.4474E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Liquid (at boiling point)/gas equivalent
        694.83
        mol/mol
        732.95
        mol/mol
        758.37
        mol/mol
      • Solubility in water
        /
        7.123E-6
        mol/mol
        6.997E-6
        mol/mol
      • Specific gravity
        0.14
        0.14
        0.14
      • Specific volume
        5.604
        m³/kg
         89.7674 ft³/lb
        5.9116
        m³/kg
         94.6947 ft³/lb
        6.1166
        m³/kg
         97.9785 ft³/lb
      • Thermal conductivity
        146.2
        mW/m∙K
         8.4529E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.2579 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 3.4943E-4 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.462E-1 W/(m∙K)
        151.69
        mW/m∙K
         8.7703E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.3052 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 3.6255E-4 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.5169E-1 W/(m∙K)
        155.31
        mW/m∙K
         8.9796E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.3363 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 3.712E-4 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.5531E-1 W/(m∙K)
      • Vapor pressure
        /
        /
        /
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      He
      Helium

      Liquid / Gas Volumes

      Calculate a liquid or gas volume or a mass

      Liquid Phase

      At boiling point at 1.013 bar

      m3(Volume)
      kg(Mass)

      Gas Phase

      in standard conditions (1,013 bar, 15°C)

      m3(Volume)
      kg(Mass)
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      He
      Helium

      Applications

      Examples of uses of this molecule in Industry and Healthcare

      Space

      A liquid helium subsystem allows pressurization of the oxygen tank of Ariane 5 launch vehicle.

      Space

      Automotive

      Helium is used to inflate car airbags. It is also used for laser welding and arc welding.

      Automotive

      Electronic components

      Helium allows temperature and uniformity control during etching and anneal process. It is also used as carrier gas for some Chemical Vapor Deposition process using liquid precursors.

      Electronic components

      Hospital care

      Drug: helium is used to assist oxygen flow in case of respiratory obstruction. It is a component of inhaled gaseous mixtures such as for pulmonary function test. Medical device: helium is used during cryoablation procedures.

      Hospital care

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      Helium is the most commonly used carrier gas in gas chromatography. It is also used as cooling fluid for the MRI, NMR or EPR magnets under liquid state at -452.2 °F (-269 °C,4.15 K).

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      Metal

      Helium is used in some laboratories and leakage detection applications.

      Metal

      Metal fabrication

      Helium is used in laser welding and arc welding.

      Metal fabrication

      Oil & Gas

      Helium is used in diving and IMR (Inspection, Maintenance & Repair) work achieved subsea for oil & gas offshore operations.

      Oil & Gas

      Pharma & Biotech

      Helium is used for leak test on process equipment.

      Pharma & Biotech

      Other

      Helium is used to inflate balloons for parties, becoming lighter than the air. It is used to detect leaks. It also allows to cool superconducting magnets. It is used in helium-neon lasers and in mixtures for carbon dioxide lasers. Helium allows to exclude air from fabrication processes (blanket gas). It is also used to transfer heat in some processes.

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      He
      Helium

      Safety & Compatibility

      Information to safely use this molecule

      • Major hazards
      • Material compatibility
      Safety
      • GHS04
        Gas under pressure

      Odor

      none

      Metals

      • Aluminium
        Satisfactory
      • Brass
        Satisfactory
      • Monel
        Satisfactory
      • Copper
        Satisfactory
      • Ferritic Steel
        Satisfactory
      • Stainless steel
        Satisfactory
      • Zinc
        Satisfactory
      • Titanium
        No data

      Plastics

      • Polytetrafluoroethylene
        Acceptable
        strong rate of permeation
      • Polychlorotrifluoroethylene
        Satisfactory
      • Polyvinylidene fluoride
        Satisfactory
      • Polyvinyl chloride
        Satisfactory
      • Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
        Satisfactory
      • Polycarbonate
        Satisfactory
      • Polyamide
        Satisfactory
      • Polypropylene
        Acceptable
        strong rate of permeation

      Elastomers

      • Buthyl (isobutene- isoprene) rubber
        Satisfactory
      • Nitrile rubber NBR
        Satisfactory
      • Chloroprene
        Satisfactory
      • Silicone
        Acceptable
        strong rate of permeation
      • Perfluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Fluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Neoprene
        Satisfactory
      • Polyurethane
        Satisfactory
      • Ethylene-Propylene
        Satisfactory

      Lubricants

      • Hydrocarbon based lubricant
        Satisfactory
      • Fluorocarbon based lubricant
        Satisfactory

      Materials compatibility

      Recommendations : Air Liquide has gathered data on the compatibility of gases with materials to assist you in evaluating which materials to use for a gas system. Although the information has been compiled from what Air Liquide believes are reliable sources (International Standards: Compatibility of cylinder and valve materials with gas content; Part 1- Metallic materials: ISO11114-1 (March 2012), Part 2 - Non-metallic materials: ISO11114-2 (April 2013), it must be used with extreme caution and engineering judgement. No raw data such as these can cover all conditions of concentration, temperature, humidity, impurities and aeration. It is therefore recommended that this table is only used to identify possible materials for applications at high pressure and ambient temperature. Extensive investigation and testing under the specific conditions of use need to be carried out to validate a material selection for a given application. Contact the regional Air Liquide team for expertise service.

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      He
      Helium

      Learn More

      General information

      More information

      Helium was discovered in 1868 by Jules Janssen. Its name comes from the Greek "ἥλιος" (helios) meaning "sun". Helium is abundant in the sun's atmosphere and is found at trace levels in Earth's atmosphere. However, it may also be found in fossil form in natural gas pockets in some oil fields, extracted by drilling deep into the subsoil. Helium is an extremely light gas and is therefore very volatile. It is colorless, odorless, non-flammable and completely inert.