The Inflated Cost of Helium!

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  • OverTheTop
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2013
    • 711

    #16
    Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

    What defines "waste" helium? As a noble gas, it seems like it would be fairly easy to separate helium from potential contaminants, if that's the issue.

    Comment

    • BalloonBoyUK
      Banned
      • Dec 2018
      • 500

      #17
      Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

      Originally posted by OverTheTop
      What defines "waste" helium? As a noble gas, it seems like it would be fairly easy to separate helium from potential contaminants, if that's the issue.

      As others have said, the basic gist of Helium, is that it can be either pure or impure. The pure stuff goes towards industrial usage, like medicine and engineering. The not-so-pure stuff, that can't be cheaply processed or made pure enough to suit industrial usage, then gets split off and is sold as "balloon gas", or waste helium.

      I don't know how you turn impure helium into pure helium, but it's some kind of process that usually costs money, and if the cost to purify it, versus the cost of what someone can make selling it isn't justifiable, then it'll get sold as "balloon gas".

      It's frustrating that there's not another safe, non-toxic, non-flammable gas that we could use for balloons, that wouldn't cost as much as helium.

      One day, maybe we'll discover or create something?!

      Comment

      • BalloonBoyUK
        Banned
        • Dec 2018
        • 500

        #18
        Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

        Originally posted by PBK
        I haven't exchanged my 300 cubic foot cylinder since the beginning of Feb and still have 1600 PSIG to go on the one I have so I imagine this fall or late summer I'll be in for a shock when I get my fresh cylinder.

        A shock indeed! I'd recommend calling up your supplier, and just seeing what the prices will be increasing too, so that you can plan ahead and decide what you're going to do. It'll then give you time to either save-up the money, or accept the fact, you'll have to adjust to having less helium/smaller tanks for your money. The latter, is what I've had to do, as I just cannot pay a 50% increase for what is essentially something I have just to have fun with!

        Comment

        • BalloonBoyUK
          Banned
          • Dec 2018
          • 500

          #19
          Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

          Just found this...

          CLICK4 Wholesale Balloons, Balloon Printing, Helium gas cylinders, balloon kits, helium balloons, rent helium gas tanks for balloons. Helium Hire Nationwide

          Comment

          • OverTheTop
            Senior Member
            • Dec 2013
            • 711

            #20
            Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

            Originally posted by BalloonBoyUK
            As others have said, the basic gist of Helium, is that it can be either pure or impure. The pure stuff goes towards industrial usage, like medicine and engineering. The not-so-pure stuff, that can't be cheaply processed or made pure enough to suit industrial usage, then gets split off and is sold as "balloon gas", or waste helium.

            I don't know how you turn impure helium into pure helium, but it's some kind of process that usually costs money, and if the cost to purify it, versus the cost of what someone can make selling it isn't justifiable, then it'll get sold as "balloon gas".

            It's frustrating that there's not another safe, non-toxic, non-flammable gas that we could use for balloons, that wouldn't cost as much as helium.

            One day, maybe we'll discover or create something?!
            That doesn't really answer my question. What specifically is "impure" helium? Aside from uncommon (I'm assuming) ions, helium won't bond to form molecules with other elements, and with it being so light relative to other gases it's found with, it should be trivial to separate it.

            Comment

            • BalloonBoyUK
              Banned
              • Dec 2018
              • 500

              #21
              Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

              Originally posted by OverTheTop
              That doesn't really answer my question. What specifically is "impure" helium?

              Firstly, all I can offer up is this: as cylinders of pure helium are filled, the escaped helium gas mixes with air, which - in-turn - becomes impure helium, and this is captured and compressed into cylinders as balloon gas. Some manufacturers capture this impure helium when filling MRI scanners. Manufacturers have stated that this wasted helium is considered a ‘recycled product’ as it would have been lost to the environment had it not been captured and re-purposed. If the balloon market demand declined, manufacturers would have to re-evaluate other markets and consider the possibilities of re-liquefying it. Re-liquefying is currently considered uneconomical from the locations of where the filling application take place.

              Pure helium is helium that is 99.9999% pure, and nearly reaches 100% purity for liquid application (at minus 269°C) – balloon gas is far short of this. There is nothing stopping science and academic institutions using the mixed (impure) helium gas except the premium cost of re-processing the impure helium to pure helium as high purity is required in science and academia.

              The only other thing I could find, that wasn't too technical is this quote from BOC - the British Oxygen Company - who sell helium in the UK. They say:

              "It’s important to be aware that there is a distinction between pure, liquid helium and impure, gaseous helium. Gas companies prioritise supplies of pure, liquid helium for critical medical uses e.g MRI scanners in hospitals, ensuring that they can remain fully operational.

              Helium for balloons is a different product – it is impure and gaseous and produced as a by-product of supplying liquid helium for the MRI market – a market which makes up about 40% of the helium business in the UK. Impure, gaseous helium cannot be used directly in medical MRI scanners or in other appliactions that use super-conducting magnets. Impure helium can be recovered by the customer and reliquified if the customer has the necessary plant on site, and if not, it can still be recovered and repurposed for use in the balloon market.

              Industrial gas companies do support the recovery and reprocessing of helium to ensure that every opportunity is taken to recycle and reuse this important resource. Historically, recovery has only been viable for larger users of helium, but new opportunities are constantly being reviewed and implemented with customers to help them conserve and reuse their helium.

              For the future, there is still plenty of helium on our planet, with investments being made to bring various new sources on-stream in the coming years. The locations and environments of these new sources will mean the market price for helium is expected to continue to rise, but making these investments will mean that helium will continue to be available for many years to come. Rising prices in the market will also drive an increase in investment in the means by which customers can recover more of their own helium.
              "

              As I'm not a scientist/engineer/tech person, I'm afraid this is the best I can do, I'm afraid.
              Last edited by BalloonBoyUK; 29-06-2019, 12:36.

              Comment

              • Eastlooner
                Member
                • Apr 2019
                • 91

                #22
                Another interesting article

                Look at this, the cost of ceasing party balluoons for us is high

                Comment

                • Eastlooner
                  Member
                  • Apr 2019
                  • 91

                  #23
                  Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

                  Comment

                  • PBK
                    Senior Member
                    • Mar 2019
                    • 372

                    #24
                    Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

                    I do look at the other side of things. I'm not saying balloon helium is going to disappear entirely soon. I'm saying it's only going to get more and more expensive.
                    The thing is, major balloon companies like Qualatex that supply balloons to the decoration/party industry (a multi-billion dollar industry) have lobbyists involved with the helium business because they know that a large percentage of the balloons they sell get filled with helium. There's a big market for helium balloons. Companies that sell helium balloons in their parks like Disney ain't gonna let them go away without a fight, either.
                    If helium was swiftly re-appropriated to scientific and medical needs exclusively, smaller balloons companies would probably fold and larger balloons companies like Qualatex would suffer major downfalls in sales resulting in financial losses. Qualatex, Maple City Rubber, Latex Occidental, etc aren't going to let that happen so they will do whatever it takes to make sure helium (whatever quality it may be) is available to the balloon market. It just might be that helium becomes something of a wealthy luxury and helium balloons aren't going to be something that everyone can afford.

                    On another note I just bought a fresh 300 cubic foot cylinder of helium and the price wasn't too much of a hike here...maybe $30 more than my previous cylinder I got 6 months ago.

                    Comment

                    • BalloonBoyUK
                      Banned
                      • Dec 2018
                      • 500

                      #25
                      Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

                      Have just had another "price increase due to helium market volatility" letter come through my door, from my helium supplier.

                      For a 10-Cubic-foot Cylinder, the price was £112, and will cost £176, from 1st Feb.

                      For a 20-Cubic-foot Cylinder, the price was £121, and will cost £281, from 1st Feb.

                      For a 30-Cubic-foot Cylinder, the price was £247, and will cost £423, from 1st Feb.

                      And these prices don't include the yearly cylinder rental fee, which adds another £150 on top of this!

                      At this rate, I can see myself not being able to have helium at home at all anymore, due to the huge costs involved. This just feels like extortion!
                      Last edited by BalloonBoyUK; 14-01-2020, 13:56.

                      Comment

                      • RainbowYarn
                        Member
                        • Jan 2020
                        • 77

                        #26
                        Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

                        It would be great if, in the future or something, we could extract helium from the Sun, or find other reserves, like on other planets or something.

                        That would solve all the helium problems.

                        I love helium balloons myself, and love just holding onto them, but I don't really use them as I prefer to get more balloons than spend the money on balloons that float for a few hours. Seems like the logical choice.

                        Comment

                        • npratt
                          Member
                          • Jul 2016
                          • 88

                          #27
                          Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

                          When everybody has a "Mr. Fusion" reactor in their car and home, helium will be more available and cheaper!

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                          • BalloonBoyUK
                            Banned
                            • Dec 2018
                            • 500

                            #28
                            Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

                            Originally posted by RainbowYarn
                            I prefer to get more balloons than spend the money on balloons that float for a few hours. Seems like the logical choice.

                            To be fair, if you use helium, most looners also use stuff called Hi-Float. It's a gel-like substance that you smear on the inside of a balloon, before inflating it, that helps elongate the length of time latex heliium balloons can float.

                            A 12" balloon can last 7-10 days.

                            A 16" balloon can last 3-4 weeks.

                            A 24" balloon can easily stay afloat for 2-3 months.

                            A 36" balloon can stay afloat for 6 months, sometimes more under the right temperature and conditions.

                            Hardly illogical, now, is it? (I'm being cheeky, not rude, I promise.)

                            Comment

                            • RainbowYarn
                              Member
                              • Jan 2020
                              • 77

                              #29
                              Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

                              But the balloons lose their tightness and sheen after a day or two of being inflated. I only like big tight shiny balloons. Old ones really don't do anything for me.

                              Comment

                              • BalloonBoyUK
                                Banned
                                • Dec 2018
                                • 500

                                #30
                                Re: The Inflated Cost of Helium!

                                Originally posted by RainbowYarn
                                But the balloons lose their tightness and sheen after a day or two of being inflated. I only like big tight shiny balloons. Old ones really don't do anything for me.

                                Not true, RainbowYarn. Helium balloons, filled with gas, and Hi-Float, and kept in the right atmospheric conditions, will still remain tight and shiny for weeks. However, the conditions (sunlight, atmosphere, temperature, etc, etc) will make that vary. That's not me trying to convert you, but just to politely inform you.

                                Comment

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