Helium Recovery Systems

Helium recovery systems recycle up to 95% of helium. Helium is used for various processes including welding, semiconductor manufacturing, medical and scientific research, and as a tracer gas for detecting leaks. Its versatility has made it popular, but it is also dwindling in supply, sometimes making supplies scarce or costly. As a result, many industries utilize helium  recycling systems to manage, recapture and process their helium supply for future use. With CTS, you can get better control over helium gas consumption and management, reduce dependency on helium suppliers, and reduce costs.

Automated, Efficient and Proven Helium Recycling System

Whether it’s for a few stations or an entire plant, we can provide an efficient, fully automated helium recovery system. We utilize a pre-engineered design with components selected to accommodate the helium usage requirements of each application. We offer standard helium recovery systems from 4 to 20 SCFM at pressure ranges of 150 to 300 PSIG.

Effectively Manage Tracer Gas Supplies with A Helium Recovery System

Helium is purchased in liquid form or as a gaseous state stored in pressurized cylinders. Helium is used in a gaseous compressed state during a leak test operation. For the helium to be placed back into a cylinder, it must first be collected from the tested part, pressurized to test pressure, analyzed for the correct percent of mixture, and possibly mixed to accommodate the correct percent of mixture. Processing helium for leak testing requires the use of pressure recovery systems that consist of various components to recapture, process and store the gas, such as:

  • Compressors for maintaining proper pressure
  • Gas analyzers for ensuring purity levels
  • Gas mixers to accommodate the correct percentage levels
  • Storage tanks for recovered gas
  • Dryer and filtration systems for purification and processing
  • Temperature sensors and level indicators for monitoring supplies
  • Touchscreen control panels for operating the equipment and monitoring functions
Image of a hard vacuum helium reclaim station showing HMI, storage tanks, compressor.

In a standard pressure recovery system, vaporized helium is used in a process, then recaptured through exhaust lines. These lines run to a recovery vessel, where the gas is fed through a filter and then analyzed for purity. If the purity level is at least 95%, the compressed helium gas is transferred to a storage tank.

Tip: Correctly sizing the compressor capacity of a helium gas reclaim system is critical to its performance.

See the blog on How to specify a helium reclaim system for your plant for more information and other tips.

Use Our Helium Recovery System Calculators to See Cost Savings

We have two calculators to help you as you consider the investment in a helium recycling system.

  • Tracer Gas Recovery System Sizing Capacity Calculator: use it to determine the right sizing capacity for your helium recycling system
  • ROI Calculator: calculate the return on investment for implementing a recovery system based on your usage and requirements

Tracer Gas Recovery System Sizing Capacity

Start by determining the size of the reclaim system required. The resulting capacity will autofill the second part of the calculator.

Step 1/2
Number of Machines
Test Pressure PSIG
PSIA
Part and Manifold Volume CC
Cycle Time (Part to Part) Seconds
 
Results
Capacity SCFM

Tracer Gas Recovery System ROI Calculator

Step 2/2
With CTS Gas Recovery System       Without Recovery
Total Work Days / Week / Week
Total Shifts / Work Day / Day
Hours / Shift / Shift
Recovery Efficiency
%
Efficiency
Tracer Gas Mix
%
Mix/HE
%
Tracer Gas Price / SCF
$
Dollar/SCF
Equipment Price
$
 
 
Tracer Gas Total Yearly Usage SCF/YR SCF/YR
Calculated Tracer Gas $$$ Spent / Yr
$
/YR
$
/YR
 
Annual Cost Savings:
$
 
ROI:
 Years
OR
 Months

Helium Recycling Systems for Any Testing Application

Helium gas reclaim systems are the perfect addition for large parts and high-pressure tests with high throughput production rates where large amounts of helium are used. Contact CTS to learn more about how we can help with your specific helium leak testing needs.