In recent years, helium, as a vital rare gas in aerospace, scientific research, high-tech industrial manufacturing and other fields, has become an important strategic resource that countries all over the world pay close attention to. Editor New has learned that the main application areas of my country's helium resources include low-temperature superconductivity, balloon carrier gas, semiconductors, optical fiber manufacturing, and vacuum leak detection. Among them, the semiconductor and optical fiber fields in high-end equipment manufacturing account for most of the total demand for helium; in addition, medical nuclear magnetic resonance (low temperature superconductivity) and large scientific engineering research also account for a certain proportion of low temperature demand.

During the National Two Sessions this year, Wang Pengfei, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and a researcher at the Institute of Physics and Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, put forward "Proposals on Strengthening the Development and Utilization of my country's Helium Resources". demand.

As a scarce non-renewable resource, helium mainly exists in natural gas, with a content ranging from a few thousandths to a few percent. Therefore, almost all helium currently used comes from natural gas. The United States is rich in natural gas helium resources (accounting for about 70% of the world's total reserves), with high helium content (about 0.8% on average, and up to 7.5% in some cases), and both production and consumption rank first in the world. However, my country's helium resources are relatively scarce, and the content of helium in natural gas is also low. It is understood that in the comprehensive development and utilization of helium resources, relevant domestic departments have carried out the work of extracting helium from non-condensable natural gas, developed helium extraction technology and equipment, and basically achieved industrial demonstration, which is expected to alleviate the shortage of helium resources in my country. situation. According to research, in domestic LNG plants that use helium-poor natural gas (4/10ths of helium content) as raw materials, helium in the boil-off gas from LNG storage tanks will be enriched to more than 1%, even to 9%, which has excellent extraction economy In addition, a large amount of geothermal water and natural gas with high concentration of helium are also found in the Weihe Basin, which is expected to be directly exploited on a large scale.

Wang Pengfei put forward two suggestions: First, use my country's independent mature helium extraction technology and equipment to carry out helium extraction work to ensure my country's helium resource demand from the entire industry chain; second, Shaanxi Weihe area is rich in water-soluble helium resources, and Weihe water-soluble helium resources should be promoted For development, relevant departments will organize and implement the joint development of helium resource industrialization and application by scientific research institutions and local enterprises as soon as possible, and support relevant policies. If the full development of helium resources can be achieved, it will be expected to partially meet my country's demand for helium resources.