I remembered Oxford having some kind of helium recycling magnet:
http://www.oxinst.com/wps/wcm/connect/Oxford+Instruments/Products/Low+Temp+&+Magnetic+Sample+Environment/MCV+Magnets/MCV+Magnets
This may be where we're heading if helium supplies remain low. Of
course, it sounds like it would be a lot more convenient also.
Chris
Rajan Paranji wrote:
> Hello
> Although I should be focusing my energy on the immediate things,
> having visited the link provided by Jeff and some other links that I
> googled related to He shortage, I could not help my train of thoughts
> getting distracted by this issue and feeling a little depressed.
> What happens to all the NMR and MRI systems when we near the day
> when He is going to run out, as obtained from the conventional means
> now ? I read one article, about 5 years old, that rumoured that the
> Russians are planning to mine the moon for He gas, by 2020 and there
> seems to be exist this (mis)/information that the supplies may last
> only upto 2015. I heard my friend Bill come up with "scooping" the
> He from solar winds in the outer atmosphere of mother earth and
> transporting it down.
>
> I was musing to myself, what are the potential ways the spectrometers
> could be saved ?
>
> * He recovery systems is an immediate possibility
> * As I am writing this, got a call from Jason Jacob of Wyeth, who
> mentioned about compressed He magnet systems that essentially recycle
> the He boil off to keep the system going without the need for frequent
> refills. Jason mentioned something like an year to 2 years fill cycle
> on these. (I am feeling better already ) :)
> * High Tc supercon magnets.
> * Permanent super magnets and micro sample volumes ?
> * Field cycling techniques ?
>
> What can you come up with (however outlandish or out'planet'ish) ?
>
> Cheers
>
> Rajan
> --
>
> *_______________________________
> Rajan K Paranji, Ph.D.
> *NMR Facility Manager
>
> Department of Chemistry
> Room 65, Bagley Hall
>
> University of Washington
> *Seattle**, WA 98195*
>
> *ph: 206 685 2581
> fax: 206 685 8665
> email: paranji_at_chem.washington.edu
> ___________________________________*
>
Received on Thu Nov 16 2006 - 12:02:24 MST