Re:The Increasing Scarcity of Helium
by WildUtah on Wednesday June 17, 2015 @10:09PM
(#9736417)
He costs $3 per m^3 on the open market. Argon costs about $8 per m^3. N2 is cheaper.
There are some uses for He that are harder to replace. Argon will collect in low spaces more than He; N2 might be a compromise for welding. Nothing can be relied on to be quite as cold as liquid He. But there is a lot of substitution that can be done when He prices rise, several generations from now.
There are some uses for He that are harder to replace. Argon will collect in low spaces more than He; N2 might be a compromise for welding. Nothing can be relied on to be quite as cold as liquid He. But there is a lot of substitution that can be done when He prices rise, several generations from now.