Some of the experimental research groups at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics (MPIK) deal with precision experiments on stored ions, for example with Penning traps as used in the Blaum division. For these experiments, superconducting magnets are often used, which only work at cryogenic temperatures. These can be achieved using liquid helium cooled to -269° Celsius.
Helium is a noble gas that can be obtained as a byproduct of natural gas production. Applications of helium are mainly in the industrial sector as a coolant or protective gas; it is also used in medical intensive care. In recent years, there has been an increasing shortage of supply on the world market. Sustainable use of the noble gas is therefore of great interest.
Until recently, the helium that evaporated over time escaped into the air at the MPIK. This leads to a considerable financial effort in the operation of these experiments, since the escaped helium has to be replaced. The demand of the MPIK refers to about 10,000 liters of liquid helium per year.
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the employees Dr. Markus Klaiber, Sebastian Hirsch and Alessandro Lamola, a newly constructed helium recovery plant was put into operation at the MPIK at the end of last year to collect and recycle the escaping gas. For this purpose, a collection and compression unit was installed at the institute, which collects the evaporated helium, compresses it and fills it into gas cylinders. The gas is then transported by a shuttle service to the MPI for Solid State Research in Stuttgart, where it is liquefied again in a complex process. The plant can thus cover about 80% of the institute's gas requirements. This recycling of helium now ensures security of supply for the experiments in Heidelberg and at the same time makes a significant contribution to conserving resources.
