“In midst of the current tight supply-demand situation of helium, some gas chromatography users, among the rest, are also suffering procurement of helium and the equipment manufacturers have a hard time to deal with the situation such as by proposal of shifting it to nitrogen or hydrogen.

The gas chromatography (GC) used for the component analysis of mixtures of gas or liquid samples is roughly divided into a Labo-type GC for R&D and quality control in laboratories and a System-type GC dedicated for monitoring of calorific value and constituent concentration during 24 operating hours in petrochemical complexes or LNG plants.

Both carry analysis objects to detectors by means of a carrier gas, and helium is applied in most cases. Therefore, it is the domestic supply-demand situation of helium that GC manufacturers are worrying about now.

Although the helium consumption of GC varies depending on its column inside, it is extremely a very small amount , just 10 to 100cc per minute for a Labo-type GC and 60 to 300cc for a System-type GC. Nevertheless, for that reason alone, they are cautious about a delayed supply for analytical purposes because the other major helium users may take priority over a limited supply.

Shimadzu Corporation of the foremost Labo-type GC manufacturer enjoying the top share in Japan said, “Since middle November we have received a few inquiries by telephone every day claiming no delivery of helium for analysis and asking for a solution.”

Shimadzu now copes with this situation proposing to switch the carrier gas into nitrogen or hydrogen as well as suggesting a means to save the amount of helium to put into the column, and shows a sense of crisis pointing out the far more tight condition than the one experienced in last autumn when there was also some confusion,”