One of the biggest challenges in helium leak testing is helium dilution and waste. In traditional recovery systems, helium concentration drops cycle after cycle as it mixes with atmospheric air inside the product being tested. To maintain test integrity, operators often inject additional pure helium, which leads to significant cost increases and inefficiencies.
At VES we take a different approach. Instead of relying on constant pure helium top-ups, our helium recovery systems separate helium from the gas mixture after each recovery cycle. Using advanced gas separation technology, helium molecules are isolated from the surrounding air or nitrogen and stored in a secondary reservoir at a concentration of about 96%. This concentrated helium is then recompressed and returned to the main tank. When it mixes with any residual helium already in the tank, the result is a usable concentration of nearly 98%.
This approach requires only a minimal injection of pure helium to ensure long-term stability and offset the small losses from the separation process. This makes the system sustainable, efficient, and independent of constant gas replenishment.
Why it Works
Our solution works because it fundamentally breaks the dilution cycle. Instead of accepting that helium concentration will degrade with every cycle, our system actively restores helium purity. This is possible because:
- Selective Gas Separation: Helium is physically separated from other gases, unlike traditional systems that simply recycle mixed gases.
- Closed-Loop Compression: The separated helium is reintroduced into the storage tank at high purity, maintaining concentration levels consistently.
- Smart Balance: The system maintains equilibrium by adding only the smallest necessary amount of fresh helium, preventing overfilling and minimising waste.
By engineering the process around purification instead of dilution management, we eliminate the inefficiencies that plague traditional recovery systems.
Benefits to Potential Customers
- Massive Helium Savings
- Significantly reduces reliance on buying large volumes of pure helium.
- Even with rising helium costs, a VES system will maintain high concentrations with minimal top-up gas.
- ROI is fast, as helium savings directly translate into reduced operational costs.
- Consistent Test Quality
- With helium concentrations consistently at ~98%, leak test accuracy is never compromised.
- Engineers can run sensitive tests without adjusting parameters to compensate for dilution.
- Avoids the risk of false passes/fails caused by unstable gas concentrations.
- Reduced Waste, Higher Sustainability
- Traditional systems vent both helium and air during compression cycles, wasting expensive helium.
- Our closed-loop separation minimises helium losses and supports environmental goals by reducing gas consumption.
- Operational Efficiency
- No need to constantly monitor and inject pure helium to "boost" concentrations.
- Integrates seamlessly with existing leak test machines, requiring no major production downtime.
- Multi-machine compatibility means one unit can serve several test lines.
- Future-Proof Investment
- With helium scarcity and price volatility increasing year by year, a helium recovery system from VES can shield manufacturers from market risks.
- Customers can plan production with confidence, knowing their helium supply is stable, efficient, and predictable.
In short. VES PURE solves the dilution and waste problem found in traditional recovery systems by separating and restoring helium instead of losing it. The result is a high-purity, cost-effective, and sustainable helium supply for leak testing, without the cycle of waste and rising costs.
Discover how PURE can cut your helium costs and secure your production. Contact us for a technical discussion today.
