A Squamish-based company is celebrating opening its first helium purification plant. While the facility is in the prairies, Quantum Technology Corp president Calvin Winter says a possible future project may be closer to home – at the proposed Woodfibre liquefied natural gas facility.
Quantum creates technology to purify helium. Unlike traditional methods that must process helium at low temperatures, Quantum’s system runs at room temperature. As a result, the diffusion membrane technology saves energy and is simpler to build.
“The proprietary Quantumpure system takes dilute helium up to 99 per cent purity,” Winter said. “Our hard-working team was able to design, build and commission this state-of-the-art plant in record time.”
The helium purification plant marks the first such facility in Canada since 1977, Winter said. The company aims to
build more.
“We loaded trucks full of helium and now we have enough to fill one million birthday balloons,” Winter said.
There is an on-going global shortage of helium. This jeopardizes the operation of critical activities, such as medical imaging including MRI and MEG, scientific research and numerous industrial activities, said Winter’s partner Ovidiu Marin, of Quantum Helium Management Corp.
“Our plant is a step in the right direction,” he said. “Our tube trailers ship to our customers, primarily in North America.”
Helium is a waste product of some natural gas, Winter said. It can be derived at the wellhead or at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, he noted. Quantum has not been in discussions with Woodfibre Natural Gas officials regarding their proposed LNG plant or possible synergies, Winter said, noting that could happen in the future.
“We are so busy building this plant,” he said of the company’s recent accomplishment.
Quantum Technology is a 30-year-old company that was initially based
in Whistler.
