Helium
Helium is a colorless, odorless, nonflammable, inert gas.General Air is a helium supplier in Colorado. We provide high-purity helium for businesses, labs, medical facilities, and welding applications.
Download SDS: P-4602
GRADES & SIZES
Helium comes as a gas in high-pressure steel or aluminum cylinders. It also comes as a liquid in low-pressure units. Our most popular sizes and grades are listed below. Don’t see what you need? Send us a message, and we’ll get back to you in 1 day.
AVAILABILITY
Purchase, exchange, or refill helium cylinders at any of our 8 Front Range General Air locations. Business customers can purchase Helium in-store, request delivery, and receive bulk quantities.
The table below lists each helium cylinder size alongside its volume in cubic feet (CF)
| Size | Volume | CGA | Full Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Ultra High Pressure Steel |
513CF | 677 | 6000 |
| #1 Steel | 291CF | 580 | 2400 |
| #2 Steel | 258CF | 2216 | |
| #5 Steel | 80CF | ||
| #6 Steel | 35CF | ||
| #7 Steel | 20CF |
Trace Impurities
| Helium | O2 | H2O | THC | N2* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.999% | <1 ppm | <1 ppm | <1 ppm | <5 ppm |
*Value provided by vendor
The table below lists each helium cylinder size alongside its volume in cubic feet (CF)
| Size | Volume | CGA | Full Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Steel | 291CF | 580 | 2400 |
| #2 Steel | 219CF | 2216 | |
| #4 Steel | 108CF |
Trace Impurities
| Helium | H2O |
|---|---|
| 99.99% | <40 ppm |
The table below lists each helium cylinder size alongside its volume in cubic feet (CF)
| Size | Volume | CGA | Full Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| H | 219CF | 580 | 2216 |
| E | 22CF | 930 | 2015 |
Trace Impurities
| Helium | Air | CO | Odor Test | Identity Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.00% | <1% | <10 ppm | Pass | Pass |
Common Applications for Helium Gas
- Welding shielding gas
- Airbags
- Microscopes
- Computer hard drives
- Semiconductor chips
- Blimps
- Weather balloons
- Fiber optic wire
- Leak detection
- Refrigerant for superconducting magnets in MRI machines
- Adjunct therapy in respiratory ailments like COPD, ARDS, croup, and bronchiolitis
Purchase or Ask a Question
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Helium in short supply?
The current Helium shortage is due to a perfect storm of unforeseeable events at various production facilities.
- A new plant opened in Russia in 2021 and had to shut down due to fires in October of 2021 and January of 2022, that plant will likely be offline until 2023.
- The largest supply of the world’s Helium comes from two facilities in Qatar, both plants experienced maintenance outages in the last year.
- The Bureau of Land Management’s Helium enrichment plant suffered an outage in January of 2022, causing a 10% drop in the world supply
- In 2022 there was a fire at a processing plant in Kansas.
- The war in Ukraine has also had an impact, natural gas that would typically go to Algeria for extraction has been diverted to an undersea European pipeline from which Helium cannot be extracted.
Why are there continued Helium shortages?
There have been 4 major Helium shortages since 2006. All of these shortages have been caused by disruption in the production process rather than an increase in demand.
What is being done to prevent future shortages?
The BLM has enlisted the assistance of independent gas suppliers to resume production quickly. In addition to getting new Helium production plants constructed, there is a greater push to increase storage capacity with the addition of private facilities.
Does General Air supply helium for balloon inflation?
Yes. Helium for balloon inflation is available in compressed cylinders at General Air Front Range locations. Contact your nearest location for current cylinder size availability and pricing.
Can helium cylinders be delivered in Colorado?
Yes. General Air delivers helium cylinders to businesses across the Front Range. Service areas include Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Greeley, Littleton, and Pueblo. Contact your nearest General Air branch for details.
Industries We Serve
Manufacturing/Construction: Helium is used in welding applications as a shielding gas blended with argon to increase heat input and improve penetration in thicker metals. Its unique properties also make it the preferred gas for leak detection in pressurized systems and pipelines.
Medical: Medical facilities use helium in MRI systems, respiratory gas mixtures, and research applications that require ultra-low temperatures.
Laboratory: Helium serves as a carrier and purge gas in gas chromatography and a range of other analytical instruments. Helium also supports calibration tasks, controlled research environments, and specialty applications.
Retail & Events: Helium cylinders are the standard supply source for balloon inflation across retail shops, event planners, party suppliers, and venues.