The helium liquefaction plant in Lancaster University’s Physics Department has undergone a major upgrade that will save 100 MWh of electricity per year.

This is equivalent to saving over 20 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, the amount absorbed by about a thousand trees.

Dr Dmitry Zmeev, who coordinated the upgrade, said: “The upgrade will allow uninterrupted operation of the facilities at the ultralow temperature laboratory in the Physics department as well as at the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Centre in the Chemistry Department. With the upgrade completed, we can be certain that we will be able to implement our numerous research ideas.”

The University’s strategic investment in helium liquefaction supports established research priorities and will foster new collaborations with international researchers who lack access to similar facilities.

Dr Harald Schlegl, who operates the plant, said: “This upgrade not only increases efficiency of helium production, it also ensures the longevity of the liquefaction plant.”

Helium becomes liquid at 4.2 kelvins (-269 °C) and is a technologically important element for MRI spectrometers in hospitals as well as for the operation of specialised low-temperature refrigerators for research.

While commercially available entry-level refrigerators do not require liquid helium for operation, they incur a significant overhead equivalent to six-fold increase in energy consumption. Moreover, the ultralow temperature environments offered by Lancaster’s home-built refrigerator units are unachievable with their commercial counterparts.

Helium is a non-renewable resource, and thanks to having an on-site liquefier plant, Lancaster University is able to achieve a 96% recycling rate. In addition, the external supply of liquid helium has been sporadic in recent times, with some low-temperature research facilities in the country having to stop operations temporarily.

The nature of world-class research undertaken in Lancaster is such that a single disruption in helium supply would stall research for several months. The new upgrade means that excellent research will continue for years to come.

The upgrade was funded by Research England.