In 2023, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket used liquid helium as a propulsion fuel for the first time. According to relevant engineers, the thrust of the rocket was significantly improved after liquid helium was involved in the propulsion system, and the flight performance was also greatly improved. This marks the first large-scale application of liquid helium in the commercial aerospace field, providing important technical support for future space exploration, and also indicating that liquid helium has a good future prospect in the aerospace field.
Liquid helium is a substance formed by the liquefaction of helium at extremely low temperatures, and its temperature is usually below 4.2 Kelvin or -268 degrees Celsius. Helium (chemical formula is He) is a rare gas with extremely low content in nature. Helium is an inert gas and does not react chemically with other substances. It exists in a gaseous state at room temperature, but condenses into a liquid state, that is, liquid helium, at extremely low temperatures.
Fullcryo’s independently developed LNG-BOG cryogenic helium extraction device mainly uses cryogenic separation methods to purify and liquefy helium. The BOG helium extraction process consists of a feed gas steady-flow system, a catalytic dehydrogenation/dehydration system, a crude helium extraction system, a cryogenic purification system, and a helium filling system. The helium-containing feed gas is first subjected to pressure regulation and steady-flow, and then sent to the catalytic dehydrogenation/dehydration system for hydrogen removal. The gas obtained after dehydrogenation is sent to the crude helium extraction system to obtain crude helium with a helium purity of about 95%. The gas is then passed through a medium-pressure low-temperature adsorption purification system to deeply purify the impurities therein, and finally meets the national standard for 5N high-purity helium. At the same time, the helium liquefier device with independent intellectual property rights is equipped to liquefy high-purity helium to generate liquid helium products, which can greatly reduce the transportation cost of helium.
Liquid helium, known as the coldest liquid on earth, can reach temperatures close to absolute zero (-273.15 degrees Celsius or 0K). It is this feature that makes it popular in the field of studying low-temperature physical phenomena. And most of the current applications of liquid helium are related to its low-temperature properties.
When it is close to absolute zero, the viscosity of liquid helium is close to zero, and it will show the extraordinary properties of superfluids. It can flow through narrow channels completely frictionlessly, presenting a superconducting state, so it is often called “superfluid”.
Moreover, liquid helium has an extremely low heat capacity, absorbs almost no heat, and can stably maintain an extremely low temperature state.
As an important strategic resource, helium is widely used in aerospace, national defense, high-end medical, semiconductor manufacturing and scientific equipment.
In the field of low-temperature research: Cryogenics is the most common application of helium. It is used to study the properties of substances at extremely low temperatures, such as superconductivity, magnetic material research, etc.
In the field of materials science: Liquid helium is mainly used in the preparation of semiconductor materials, such as lithography and lithography machines. It uses its low temperature and low vacuum environment to promote material growth and improve preparation efficiency. It is suitable for the fields of microelectronics and optoelectronics.
In the field of medical imaging: To date, the largest application of liquid helium is in the medical field. In superconducting magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), liquid helium can increase the resolution of medical images. Specifically, liquid helium can achieve low temperatures close to absolute zero, which helps to effectively obtain high-resolution images of internal organs and tissues, thereby helping doctors make more accurate diagnoses.
In the field of aerospace: Liquid helium is often used to cool engines and high-power equipment to provide a stable low-temperature environment. Liquid helium is an efficient and preferred refrigerant.
Using liquid helium to cool high-precision electronic components can not only significantly improve the efficiency and stability of the system, but also extend the working life of the equipment. Therefore, in aerospace technology, liquid helium is used to cool key components of spacecraft because it can provide extremely low temperatures, providing an ideal cooling solution for related research.
Liquid helium has a key influence in exploring the next generation of aerospace materials. By using the extremely low temperature environment created by liquid helium, researchers can deeply analyze the behavioral characteristics of materials under extreme conditions such as deep space, such as changes in strength, conductivity, and thermal properties. These studies help develop more durable and efficient spacecraft structural materials, which has an important impact on improving the safety and reliability of space missions.
In the field of spacecraft thermal protection, the application of liquid helium has moved from theory to practice and has become a good design guidance tool. Engineers use liquid helium to simulate extreme temperature changes in space, which helps them design better thermal insulation materials to protect spacecraft from high temperature damage. This method is particularly suitable for testing the performance of new composite materials when experiencing sharp temperature differences, thereby accelerating the development of high-temperature resistant materials and laying the foundation for future longer-distance space exploration.
In summary, although the application of liquid helium in the above-mentioned fields has been gradually carried out and has shown great potential, with the advancement of technology, its role in aerospace engineering will continue to expand and bring more breakthrough progress.
Fullcryo has eight years of experience in the helium manufacturing industry, focusing on helium refrigeration units and cryogenic equipment to ensure the highest purity of gaseous or liquid helium (up to 99.999%), meeting the ultra-low temperature needs in scientific research, medical and other fields.
Our service scope: Provide lightweight portable gas cylinders, high-pressure gas cylinders and large cryogenic storage tanks. If customers have production needs, we can also formulate on-site production systems and pipeline transportation solutions to meet the needs of different customers. So whether you need gas supply for small experiments or large-scale industrial application solutions, Fullcryo can provide customized services.
Choose us, you will enjoy such services: with the purpose of “customer first”, attention to details, fast response consulting services, professional technical support and after-sales service. Providing full-range support in the field of helium and related technologies, Fullcryo is your most trusted partner.
