How INRIM researchers tackled the helium supply crisis: The NexGen Liquefier

Liquid helium is a critical resource, that is becoming increasingly rare and expensive. For materials science laboratories worldwide, supply instability has been one of the biggest challenges for years, stalling research and disrupting experiment planning. 

In the first issue of Quantum Design's magazine “Quantum Perspectives”, you can read an exclusive interview with two researchers from INRIM (National Institute of Metrological Research): Dr. Paola Tiberto and Dr. Marco Coisson. 

In the interview, the researchers explain how they tackled the helium issue.  

A first attempt to free the institute and researchers from reliance on the helium supply focused on setting up a centralized helium liquefaction service to support all INRIM laboratories. 

However, the project's complexity and the geographical distribution of cryogenic labs made this idea unpractical. This led to the need for an alternative solution, which they found in the NexGen Liquefier: a lab-scale, mobile device that recovers and liquefies the helium gas normally lost through standard boil-off and transfers from cryogenic instruments. 

Thanks to this system, INRIM no longer faces the heavy logistical and financial burdens associated with liquid helium supply. This allows for more thorough, frequent, and cost-effective measurement campaigns that align perfectly with their research schedules. 

Future Directions 

“We plan to conduct increasingly advanced studies on innovative materials, thanks to a fully equipped laboratory combining a highly sensitive magnetometer with a multi-purpose physical property characterization system. This capability is expected to attract national and international collaborations and enable competitive funding for projects in energy, space, quantum technologies, and health.” 

We invite you to read the interview to discover all the details. 

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