Helium Recycling for UIC Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

项目总结 核磁共振是表征小分子的一种关键技术，例如 蛋白质，包括其结构、动力学监测和定量分析等。对于适当的 核磁共振仪器的运行，氦等低温液体是必要的，以保持低 运行所需的温度。氦是一种有限的自然资源，所用的大部分低温液体 对于核磁共振这样的仪器，在常规操作和偶尔的情况下都会释放到大气中 磁铁充满。为了解决这个问题，商业供应商已经开发了氦气体捕获和回收 系统必须能够解决汽化损失问题。在伊利诺伊大学芝加哥分校(UIC)，我们共享的核磁共振 仪器核心位于结构生物学中心，拥有三个核磁共振谱仪，带有一个 计划在未来几个月安装更多的仪器。因此，这一设施需要大量的 液氦，这既昂贵，又使用枯竭的自然资源。为了回应这笔资金 宣布，我们建议准备场地并安装一个氦回收装置，该装置具有多个- 结构生物学中心的仪器能力。这一新系统的加入将简化我们的 运营，使我们的设施现代化，并使这一共享设施的用户基础增加。

Project summary Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a critical technique for characterization of small molecules such as proteins, including their structure, dynamics monitoring and quantitative analysis, among others. For proper operation of NMR instrumentation, cryogenic liquids such as helium are necessary to maintain low temperatures required for operation. Helium is a limited natural resource and much of the cryogenic liquid used for instruments such as NMR is released to the atmosphere during both routine operation and occasional magnet fills. To address this issue, commercial vendors have developed helium gas capture and recycling systems to be able to address the boil off loss. At the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), our shared NMR instrument core, located in the Center for Structural Biology, houses three NMR spectrometers with an additional instrument planned for installation in the coming months. Thus, this facility demands substantial liquid helium, which is both costly and uses a depleting natural resource. In response to this funding announcement, we are proposing to prepare the site and install a helium recycling unit that has multi- instrument capabilities in the Center for Structural Biology. The addition of this new system will streamline our operations, modernize our facility and enable an increased user base for this shared facility.