The University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus suspended experiments using helium for the period from April to May following the ban of admittance to the campus to avoid any infection of the Coronavirus. So, the consumption of helium for the period decreased by 70% comparing with the same term of last year.

Experiments have gradually been revived since June and are being proceeded nearly the same way as last year as of September. The University of Tokyo will resume classes from October keeping the online system. As for the seminars and experiments of the science course will be continued taking anti-infection measures like limiting the number of students.
The number of research rooms allowed to continue experiments using helium from April to May was 10 out of 40 rooms of Kashiwa Campus which engage in research with liquid helium.

The professional staff in charge of security of cryogenic liquefaction in the Solid State Physics Office said, “As the supply of helium is handled by the staff of the cryogenic liquefaction room, staff members must attend in addition to the staff of the research office. To reduce the number of people in the campus, we had to suspend the activities except for some cases.”

The experiments and researches applicable to the exemption allowed to continue were those which require a long time and may cause a great deal of damages once it is stopped. Other than this, helium was supplied regularly for the devices for which temperature could never be raised such as an experimental MRI.

The University of Tokyo has set up a liquefier in the campus and is recycling and liquefying gases. To cope with the trend of unstable supply of helium these days, the University is now promoting its SDGs project under the name of Helium Zero-loss Campus Project.

To this end, the University has worked out a planning competition in technological and suggestive power with regard to the themes of “Helium, Support of Zero-loss Campus Project and Technological Development”. Taiyo Nippon Sanso which was awarded the competition will play a role to support for improvement of recycling efficiency and a stable supply of helium without reducing the stock.

The professional staff said, “For our supply of helium we have so far received from each research office payments for our expenses including gas fare and maintenance fees. We could reduce the amount of such expenses from what we paid last year because of the changes in the world situation and the promotion of this project.” Regarding the situation of procurement, he commented, “We worried a bad condition under the tight supply of helium, but the coronavirus caused less supply of helium. The helium in our stock has also not so much reduced that we now keep a satisfactory volume of stock.”