Strengthen Defense Industrial Base Supply Chain Resiliency for Critical Materials (Helium-3)

Strengthen Defense Industrial Base Supply Chain Resiliency for Critical Materials (Helium-3)Interlune is developing a system to address the critical shortage of Helium-3 (łHe), a rare Earth isotope that is currently only produced through the decay of tritium, but which can also be found in concentrations of around 200 parts per billion in terrestrial helium. The project's primary goal is to create a foundational technology for extracting łHe from domestic helium supplies, with a target purity of >99%. Expanding the U.S. supply of łHe is crucial to enabling the growth of capabilities that rely on łHe, such as quantum computing, neutron detection for national security, and low-temperature physics research. It can also enable future uses, like fusion-based energy, hyperpolarized gas medical imaging, and short half-life isotopes for medical diagnostics.To achieve this, Interlune proposes an innovative cryogenic enrichment system that will be integrated with an existing helium liquefaction plant located in the United States. The enrichment process leverages the subtle differences in vapor pressures between łHe and ?He at cryogenic temperatures, near their boiling points in the 4 Kelvin range. By co-locating the enrichment system with the liquefaction plant and leveraging the plant's cryogenic infrastructure, Interlune aims to minimize energy use and potentially capitalize on waste heat recovery to further improve efficiency. A system installed at a single existing helium liquefaction plant has the potential to nearly double the domestic supply of łHe.This Phase II project has three primary objectives that will advance the technology to the point where it can be piloted at operational scale in Phase III. First, it will define all physical, thermal, and operational interfaces needed for seamless integration with the liquefaction plant. Second, the detailed design of the pilot-scale łHe enrichment system will be created, including process flow diagrams, system model, specifications for critical components like cryogenic vessels, heat exchangers, pumps, valves, and control instrumentation. This design will focus on minimizing energy consumption while achieving the target enrichment levels and throughput. Third, the project will identify, prototype, and test high-risk components and subsystems crucial for the success of the pilot-scale system. The testing phase will also assess hardware and design risks and develop strategies to address them.This project will enable efficient, large-scale łHe extraction to meet the growing demand for this vital resource. Given its key role in advanced technologies for defense, broader access to łHe is essential to maintaining American competitiveness. By establishing a new supply source, this project enables critical scientific and industrial applications, supporting national security and technological leadership.