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A Worldwide Helium Shortage Forced the Navy to Make a Better Diving Suit

Just as with climate change, the military is acting pragmatically.
Image: Anthony Powers/US Navy

Along with MRI operators and birthday clowns, scuba divers have been feeling the pin​ch of the worldwide helium shor​tage, so the US Navy is doing something about it. Scientists from the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Panama City, Florida, revealed a life-support system prototype for these helium-pinched times.

Divers need to breathe a mixture of compressed oxygen and an inert gas to dilute the oxygen, because under the increased pressure of underwater, too much oxygen can get into the diver's bloodstream and lead to oxy​gen poisoning. A nitrogen-oxygen blend can safely be used for sha​llower dives, but h​elium is mixed in for deep diving, as nitrogen can also dissolve into blood, causing nitrogen narcosis or, upon ascent, the dreaded bends.

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The Navy's Initial Response Diving program has a standing goal of having a diver 600 feet underwater, anywhe​re in the world, in just 36 hours, which means a lot of helium taking up a lot of room, on a lot of ships. Diving suits used by the Navy today use a "Fly-away mixed gas system" that sends exhaled air out into the water. The semi-closed system, on the other hand, reduces the amount of helium needed to be carried by the diver and, by extension, on ships that carry the divers, by recycling some of that air.

"This new, semi-closed system was conceived to drastically reduce helium requirements," John Camperman, NSWC PC principal investigator, said​ in a press release. "The new system modifies the current helmet and rebreather. Prototype analysis and testing have shown that drastic reduction in helium consumption is possible."

There's no mention of when the life-support system may be ready for deployment, nor how much it may cost; phone calls and email were not returned.

Image: Anthony Powers/US Navy

But the Navy has been relying on semi-closed systems in some capacity since the early 19​60s, when the MK 6 UBA was deployed for both combat swimming and disposing of mines. Semi-closed systems praised for al​lowing their tanks to last longer as well as their stealthiness. Wildlife photographers are fond of using them to because they're less likely to star​tle marine life.

Just as with climate ch​ange, the military is acting pragmatically. Helium is needed in a really wide variety of fields from the aforementioned medical imaging and party balloons, to cryogenics, high-energy accelerators, and even arc welding. Until worldwide helium production rises to meet ballooning demand, the Navy is doing what it has to in order to keep going underwater with a gas that's lighter than air.