Stopping Helium/Hydrogen Storage Leaks.

[mastermenthe]

Liquid Helium is a very small and electrically neutral element under high pressure; it will slowly slip through the molecular structure of any given container.
Liquid Hydrogen is an extremely small element under high pressure, and it will also slowly escape any given container.

A storage container for Liquid Helium/Hydrogen placed inside of a storage container of liquid Nitrogen at greater pressure than the Helium/Hydrogen, may work as a mechanical method of containing the helium/hydrogen.

 

[Baluncore]

The inner container that separates the small / large molecules must be impervious to the larger molecules. One problem is the very low temperatures involved. At room temperature the inner container could be a balloon or bladder but that is not possible at low temperatures.

The use of a vacuum flask to insulate a cold liquefied gas would provide a way to capture any lost gas. The vacuum chamber would capture gas that bleeds through the inner wall. The bleed gas could be re-compressed and returned to the inner flask.

What pressures and temperatures are you contemplating? Under what conditions and in what applications is it more economic to contain the molecules than to replace them?

 

[Q_Goest]

Liquid Helium is a very small and electrically neutral element under high pressure; it will slowly slip through the molecular structure of any given container.
Liquid Hydrogen is an extremely small element under high pressure, and it will also slowly escape any given container.

Liquid helium and hydrogen are commonly used in large quantities throughout industry. They are stored and shipped in vacuum insulated storage tanks. A typical truck trailer used for shipping carries 9000 to 14,000 gallons of liquid helium or hydrogen. The tanks do not see helium or hydrogen getting into the vacuum space unless there's a crack in the vessel or pipe. The molecules of helium or hydrogen might pass through steel but it would take thousands of years for any measurable amount to do so on a typical storage container.

A storage container for Liquid Helium/Hydrogen placed inside of a storage container of liquid Nitrogen at greater pressure than the Helium/Hydrogen, may work as a mechanical method of containing the helium/hydrogen.

If you're suggesting to put an uninsulated helium or hydrogen tank inside a tank of liquid nitrogen, that won't work. The heat flux from the helium or hydrogen into the nitrogen would be horrific. Nitrogen freezes at a temperature well above what helium and hydrogen can remain a liquid at, so the helium and hydrogen would rapidly boil off and the nitrogen would freeze.

There are some excellent designs for helium and hydrogen storage tanks in the industry. You may want to find out a bit about how they work before making your own suggestions. Try "Cryogenic Systems" by Randall Barron.
http://books.google.com/books/about/Cryogenic_systems.html?id=G8FTAAAAMAAJ

 

[mastermenthe]

I now see now that my concept is very half-baked.
Thanks you both for taking the time to share your knowledge!

 

[alphy]

I would like to offer some additional information and potential solutions to stopping helium/hydrogen storage leaks. While it is true that liquid helium and hydrogen are very small and can escape through the molecular structure of containers, there are other factors that contribute to their ability to leak.

Firstly, the temperature at which these elements are stored plays a crucial role. Both liquid helium and hydrogen have very low boiling points and can easily turn into gas at room temperature. This can increase the pressure inside the container, making it more likely for them to escape. Therefore, proper insulation and temperature control are important to prevent leaks.

Additionally, the type of material used for the storage container is important. Helium and hydrogen are both known to have low solubility in most materials, meaning they can easily pass through them. Using specialized materials such as stainless steel or aluminum can help reduce the rate of leakage.

Another solution could be to use a cryogenic storage system, which involves storing the helium or hydrogen at very low temperatures. This not only reduces the pressure inside the container, but also slows down the movement of the molecules, making it less likely for them to escape.

In terms of the proposed solution of placing the storage container in a container of liquid nitrogen at a higher pressure, it is important to consider the potential hazards and safety concerns. Liquid nitrogen is extremely cold and can cause severe burns if mishandled. Therefore, proper precautions and safety measures must be in place to ensure the safety of handling such a system.

In conclusion, stopping helium/hydrogen storage leaks requires a combination of proper temperature control, suitable materials, and specialized storage systems. As scientists, it is our responsibility to continuously research and develop new technologies to improve the containment and storage of these elements.