Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-06-27
I ROMANCE OF HELIUM.
Secret of the Wonderful Gas Obtained
from the Sun.


Helium, the new incombustible bal
loon gas, so called because it was dis
covered on the sun 80 years before 1t
was identified on earth, which promises
to revolutionize the science Of balloon
ing, is the subject Of the following
communication to the National Geog-
raphic Society by DR.. G. Sherburne
Rogers:
when the United States Joined the
Allies, the military value Of helium
was at once brought to the attention
Of the army and navy authorities, and
vigorous campaign was begun for the
production of helium in quantities.
1.-THE two main problems were OBJ
vious; first to develop methods Of ex-
tracing helium from the natural gas;
and, to determine the geologic occur
renee of the gas. and so to locate ade-
quate supplies.
Late in 1917 two small experiment
tai plants using different methods were
erected In Fort Worth, Tex, to treat
the gas of the Petrolia field, and some
| months later a third plant, using q
still different method, was erected In
the field itself.
THE helium- bearing area of Kansas
Is far larger than any yet discovered
in Texas and contains a number OF
fields which in the aggregate yields
much more gas than Petrolia- The old
Dexter field, in which the helium-bear-
ing gas was first discoveredsfs now'ex-
hausted, though the early difficulties
in the way of burning the gas were
overcome, and for years it was pro-
duced in large volumes and used as
fuel.
ITO light gas stove in Dexter, how
ever, always was 8 difficult feat, and
it became a matter of pride on the
part of every good housewife to develop
the dexterity necessary to this opera
ton. The stove was first filled with
crumpled newspaper, which was set
afire; then the gas was turned. on, Its
flow being skillfully manipulated, un-
til by the time the paper had burned
out the gas had become hot enough
to take fire.
"As the apparatus used in all these
processes Of extracting helium gas for
balloon purposes require rather dell
cate adjustment and manipulation,
some time was naturally consumed In
determining the most efficient working
conditions; but just prior to the arrnis'
tice the first shipment Of 100000 cubic
feet Of helium, compressed and stored
in steel tanks, had been started to
Europe. This was enough to fill four
of the ordinary kite balloons. though
the large dirigibles require one to two
million or more cubic feet Of gas.
Although quantity production OF
helium was achieved just too late to be
of value in the actual hostilities, 1t
was in itself a great accomplishment
| for the worlds total output Of helium
up to 1915 was probably less than 100
cubic feet, the market value of which
was about $1,700 a cubic foot. Our
helium can be produced by the first
two methods at less than 10 cents a
cubic foot, and If the third process full
fills expectations, this figure will bt
still further reduced
"rhe details of the process Of ex-
tracing helium are highly technical
but the general scheme is easily under
stood. All Of the main constituents OF
natural gas, including the nitrogen,
become liquefled when cooled to about
l-32S degrees, Fahrenheit; but the
helium remains a gas at this exceed
ingly low temperature and Is thus
easily separated
| 1.-The principle by which these low
temperatures are attained Is one
known to every motorist who Is un-
fortunate enough to have to pump up
his own tires. When air is compressed
in a tire it becomes hot; If the tire
is allowed to cool to ordinary temper
| ature and the valve is then opened and
the air allowed to escape, 1t becomes
cool.
"Similarly, the natural gas Is put un-
der a very high pressure, and then
refrigerated, and when allowed to ex-
pand it becomes so cold that all OF Its
constituents except helium become
liquid"