Four Potential Uses for the Helium-3

You and I may just have a big question mark in our thought bubble when we hear about Helium-3. To make things simple, Helium-3 is an isotope of the Helium gas which makes your voice squeak when you inhale it. Helium-3 on the other hand is no joke, different countries are racing to the moon to harvest it and use it here on earth. Here are some ways how we use or can make use of Helium-3:

Neutron detection instrumentation

Helium-3 is the most important isotope needed for instrumentation in neutron detection. Neutron detection is not really an easy science to translate in English. Let us try anyway by naming some practical uses for it.  Neutron detection using Helium-3 is critical for reactor instrumentation for nuclear power reactors and research reactors. Neutron detectors also play a critical role in radiation safety. It is also being utilized when we try to detect cosmic rays which are particles showers on earth coming from the outer space.

Cryogenics

The nucleus of Helium is a fermion or a particle which conforms to Fermi-Daric statistics. It can be used for refrigerators needed to have temperatures that are as low as 0.2 to 0.3 Kelvin. Cryogenics involve really cold temperature from negative 150 degrees Celsius to absolute zero. Cryogenics aside from medicine is also used in physics since metals enter superconductivity when subjected to extremely low temperatures.

Lung Imaging

Helium-3 can also be polarized using lasers. This magnetized gas can be stored in tanks and help in lung imaging. Patients needing the lung imaging can inhale the stored gas mixed with other substances and undergo an MRI-like scan. Every breath can be scanned real time and give experts a real time view of every breath the patient will take.

Power Generation

This can be the most promising potential of Helium-3. A lot of experts say that it can be the perfect fuel of the future. The helium-3 is reacted with deuterium producing Helium-4 and a proton. There are still a lot of issues to address so we can make use of Helium-3 as a fuel-source.  We are still looking for ways to transport it from the surface of the moon where it is very abundant back to earth. There are also problems to consider when constructing the reactor needed.  One good thing though is that a reactor failure will not cause human death or wide spread of radiation since Helium-3 is not radioactive.