The company Renergen has announced its ability to produce liquid helium , through the liquefaction process in small batches directly from the wells of its project in Virginia, located in the province of Free State, South Africa .
Liquid helium with record purification
Since April 2, the original equipment company (OEM) has managed to reach the necessary temperature in the helium cold box for liquefaction. This process included the purification of helium until reaching 99.999% purity , a level confirmed by an independent laboratory, according to the company.
For its part, the OEM is in the phase of ensuring that operating conditions are adequate to begin performance tests, which will allow the helium system to operate continuously, Renergen reported today, May 6.
In order to facilitate future shutdown and restart processes, the company has decided that the helium system will be temporarily disconnected and restarted from standard ambient conditions. This procedure will verify the repeatability of the process and will be meticulously documented in the presence of OEM representatives. Furthermore, the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has not suffered interruptions during these procedures and will continue its normal operation, assured Stefano Marani, general director of Renergen.
Renergen drives innovation in helium and increases its value
Marani also highlighted that “The OEM will take the next few weeks to make the necessary adjustments and verifications before beginning performance testing. However, all liquid helium produced during this time will be collected and used to supply our customers.” In response to these developments, the value of the company’s shares on the JSE experienced an increase of 8.43% today.
The capacity of Renergen to liquefy and purify helium to such a high level of purity not only represents a technical milestone, but also positions the company as a key player in the global helium market, a critical resource in industries such as medicine, technology and scientific research. Demand for helium has been growing steadily, meaning advances like this can have a significant impact on the stability of global supply.
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Source: engineeringnews.co.za
Photo: Shutterstock
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