Hi Ken and All,
We are currently researching this question.
Let me give you a little background about running an NMR facility in the
middle of the Pacific Ocean.
We are at the mercy of the local industrial gas vendors. Back in the
late 1980 we were being gouged to the tune of $2.10/L for liquid
nitrogen. We petitioned the VP for Research and purchased a small LN
plant that produces 10L/hr. The VP paid for half ($75K at the time) and
we charged to pay back the debt on the rest of the purchase price and
for maintenance. We sold LN for $1.00/L for three years and then dropped
the price to $0.50/L and have been charging that since 1994. We supply
the entire campus on the output from our little plant. Granted the
maintenance on this system is not all that much. We renew some O-rings
and clean some parts ourselves and have a local compressor maintenance
company do the heavy repairs. In a good year we spend around $4.8K in
service and another $5K in parts. Twice we've had a major overhaul that
cost $21K, mostly due to travel from Europe for the service engineer.
Around this time I was in the throws of ordering liquid He from the
mainland. A 100 L order, at $4.25/L, came from Oakland, arrived with, at
best 80L and usually 65 to 70L, cost $370.00 in round trip shipping and
close to $600 in rental charges on the dewar during transit (it's a five
day boat ride). Bottom line was I paid about $12.00/L. After a lot of
negotiating I managed to get the local company to give us the dregs of
the LHe they were bringing in for the hospitals for $11.89/L. This price
lasted until the sales representative retired in 2008. Since then our
LHe costs have increased to today's price of a mere $32.95/L. Yep,
that's right. We pay about $3500.00 per 100L dewar.
We currently have three high resolution systems with older Oxford
magnets and the college has ordered a 16cm 9.4T research MRI system. I'm
now looking at the cost of a recovery system.
The three high res. magnets boil off a total of about 53 cc/hr. The new
9.4T system is speced at 83 cc/hr. The back of the envelope calculation
is we will need approximately 100L of LHe every month. Total cost for a
year will top $42,000.00 just for LHe.
Right now I am aware of one small system package that can be used to
recover Helium gas, store, purify and reliquify it. Quantum Design in
San Diego (
http://qdusa.com) had a booth at this past ENC where they
showed two systems. One could produce 12L of liquid a day, the other
22L/day. I have a preliminary quote for their High Pressure Recovery
System producing 22L/day that is in the neighborhood of $250K. Assuming
we can get internal funding for half this from the institution I
guesstamate I can pay off the loan on the other half in five years if I
charge the users around $20/L. A big savings to us. Once the loan is
paid off the cost comes down to the maintenance.
Currently there are many unknowns.
I do not know what the ongoing maintenance costs are for this system. If
you look at the QD Web site this is quite a bit of hardware to keep
running. I'm waiting on an answer to that.
Internal funding is also a big question mark. We're throwing money
around like crazy here but not much goes to research infrastructure.
However, I am optimistic I can get some interest if I talk to the right
people.
If we did go with the high pressure, higher capacity system we would
have excess capacity. It would be possible for other labs on campus
(Institute for Astronomy, Oceanography, Engineering, Geophysics and
Physics) to purchase gas and have it liquified at this price thus
increasing our user base and bring the price down.
Right now with the current state of the Helium supply it is looking more
and more like we need to bite the bullet and go this route.
Sorry for the long answer. I'm afraid my situation is somewhat unique in
the US. However, this is how it looks to me way out here. It's known as
the cost of doing research in paradise.
Walt
On 9/25/13 8:19 AM, Kenneth Knott wrote:
> Our department is beginning a 'sustainability of resources' initiative
> and has asked me to inquire about the feasibility of a helium recovery
> system. As of now we have 7 magnets, (3 older Oxford vintage and 4
> newer longer hold vintage) of 300, 4x400, 500 and a 600Mhz.
>
> At what point does it become cost effective to purchase and maintain a
> helium recovery system?
>
> Thanks,
> --
> Ken Knott
> Department of Chemistry
> Analytical Services
> Virginia Tech
>
> (540)267-6502 (Cell)
> (540)231-0885 (Office)
--
Walter P. Niemczura, Ph. D.
NMR/Mass Spec. Facility Director
Department of Chemistry
2545 McCarthy Mall
University of Hawaii
Honolulu, HI 96822
Ph: 808-956-3113
FAX: 808-956-5908
Email: walt_at_hawaii.edu
Received on Wed Sep 25 2013 - 10:34:10 MST