Overview
The percentage-level (%) Helium (He) thermal conductivity analyzer utilizes highly stable Thermal Conductivity Detection (TCD) technology. It is widely used in optical fiber drawing cooling, semiconductor fabrication, superconducting magnet helium recovery, deep-sea breathing gas blending, and cryogenic gas separation. Delivering precise, online measurements of He concentrations in binary or quasi-binary mixtures (such as He/N2, He/Ar, or He/O2), it controls gas blending ratios and monitors recycling purity to prevent the loss of this scarce and expensive noble gas.
Principle
When the sample gas enters the thermal conductivity cell, and a thermistor is used above the film to maintain a constant temperature. In this way, a small cavity is formed below and above the membrane, and the measurement gas can diffuse into it. In this way, the heat loss caused by the thermal conductivity of the sample gas is compensated by heating, and the power required to maintain a constant temperature of the membrane is a measurement of the thermal conductivity of the measured gas.
Application
• Optical Fiber Drawing & Semiconductor Manufacturing
Fiber Drawing Cooling Channel: Continuous monitoring of helium percentage in cooling atmospheres during optical fiber drawing, where helium’s superior thermal conductivity ensures uniform and rapid cladding cooling to prevent structural defects.
Wafer Backside Cooling & Shielding: Real-time tracking of helium blending ratios in wafer electrostatic chucks and process tool chambers for critical temperature control during etching and CVD.
• Helium Recovery & Cryogenic Reclamation Systems
Superconducting Magnet Boil-off Recovery: In-line purity tracking of recovered gaseous helium from MRI machines, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers, and scientific synchrotrons before purification and re-liquefaction.
Air Separation Unit (ASU) Noble Gas Extraction: Monitoring helium concentrations in raw helium-neon separation and distillation columns of cryogenic air separation plants to optimize recovery yield.
• Deep-Sea Diving & Hyperbaric Breathing Gases
Heliox and Trimix Gas Blending: High-precision online verification of helium concentration in breathing mixtures (such as He/O_2 and He/N_2/O_2) used for commercial offshore diving, technical diving, and hyperbaric therapy chambers to safeguard diver health.
Diving Bell Atmosphere Monitoring: Real-time tracking of returned breathing gas loops to evaluate scrubber efficiency and gas replenishment needs.
• Industrial Shielding Gas Blending & Leak Detection
High-End Welding Atmosphere Control: Verifying customized He/Ar shielding gas mixtures used in automated robotic welding (such as laser or GMAW welding of aluminum and stainless steel) to ensure arc stability and weld quality.
Industrial Component Leak Testing: Monitoring the purity of helium carrier gas used in chamber leak-test stations (for automotive parts, lithium battery cells, and HVAC compressors) to maintain testing calibration and detect background contamination.
Measurement components and ranges
• He: 0 ~ 10% up to 100%(Vol)
For detailed introduction, please refer to Thermal Conductivity Analyzer.