Under solid (grey), liquid (blue) and vapor states (white) along the equilibrium curves
Critical Point
Triple Point
Calculate a liquid or gas volume or a mass
At boiling point at 1.013 bar
in standard conditions (1,013 bar, 15°C)
Examples of uses of this molecule in Industry and Healthcare
A liquid helium subsystem allows pressurization of the oxygen tank of Ariane 5 launch vehicle.
SpaceHelium is used to inflate car airbags. It is also used for laser welding and arc welding.
AutomotiveHelium 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 componentsDrug: 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 careHelium 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 CentersHelium is used in some laboratories and leakage detection applications.
MetalHelium is used in laser welding and arc welding.
Metal fabricationHelium is used in diving and IMR (Inspection, Maintenance & Repair) work achieved subsea for oil & gas offshore operations.
Oil & GasHelium is used for leak test on process equipment.
Pharma & BiotechHelium 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.
Information to safely use this molecule
none
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.
General 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.