Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1921-05-05
HEuUM GAS IS
GOING TO WASTE
Million Cubic Feet Is Being Lost
Every Day.
TO PRODUCE AELIUM

Government establishment to Con-
serve Costly Noninflammable vapor
for BaIIoons-Makes Air Travel Both
in Time Of Peace and of War Very
Much safer-congress Asked for
Funds to Continue the Work on a
Proper Basis.
More than 100000 cubic feet of the
valuable noninflammable gas. helium.
which might he used TO fill balloons
and airships employed for either com
mercial or military purposes, are
wasted every day., according to DR..
Richard B. Moore, chief chemist of the
United States bureau of mines, who
recently addressed the Columbus sec
ton Of the American Chemical society
at Ohio State university.
PLANT to Produce Heiium.
early in the European war;" said
DR.. Moore, "the army and navy APP
propriated funds to the bureau OF
mines for experimental work on the
commercial extraction of helium from
the natural gas and the experimental
work in CONNECTION with n OF the
plants was a success. Based on this,
a large extraction plant has been built,
which is just ready to be tested out
and put into operation. One OF the
other plants is still on an experimental
basis and is being continued in the be-
lief that eventually the process in
volved will give more efficient results
than at present. 1t has already pro-
duced 100000 cubic feet of helium,
which is stored in%Texas. Funds are
now being asked Of congress to con-
tinue this work on a proper basis, not
only to take care of tho operation Of
the plants and to produce hefium, but
also to provide for the future needs Of
aeronautics. Z
"By the use Of helium," continued
DIR. Moore, "air travel both in times
Of peace and war is made very much
safer. A dirigible filed with helium is
to a hydrogen dirigible practically the
same as an ironcIad is to a wooden
ship.
4sThe British admiralty during the
war expressed the opinion that one
hydrogen dirigible was the equivalent
to five or six fast scout vessels for
reconnaissance purposes. Since the
cost Of one of these scout vessels
would be equal to one dirigible, the
greater use of hydrogen dirigibles ap-
parently has been established. The
use of helium instead Of hydrogen
makes d%irigibles very much more eff
cient, as they cannot be brought down
by incendiary bullets Or by other
means which are sufficient to destroy
a hydrogen dirigible. In addition. the
range of operation is greater, as the
helium diffuses more slowly through
the fabric than does hydrogen"
Found in Natural Gas.
DR.. Moore said that helium is found
in the air in the proportion of one
part to 1S5,O00 by volume and also in
the gases which come from springs and
especially In certain natural gases in
tue Oulleu DULLES. 1uS ldCl ludl
helium exists in these American gases
in reasonably large quantities makes
the whole question of it's use in aero
nautics not only a commercial POSSIBLE
ity, but a practical undertaking. The
United States is the only country in
the world in which the natural gas
contains appreciable quantities of
helium."
DR.. Moore expressed the opinion that
a special effort should be made to con.
serve and use to the best advantage an
element which is not only a unique
weapon in warfare, but an aid in com.
merce.