Air Liquide (AL) and Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Science (HFIPS), recently signed an agreement in Hefei to establish a joint-venture.

This aims to boost the development and manufacturing of helium refrigeration systems, supporting the evolution of large scientific research experiments in China.

Under this upcoming JV, AL will bring its mastery of extreme cryogenics and its know-how in the design and manufacturing of helium refrigerators while HFIPS will share its mastery of specific cryogenics applications and deep understanding of research needs and organizations in China.

Helium refrigerators produce the very low temperatures needed to provide the superconducting conditions to allow many scientific instruments such as superconducting power equipment, superconducting accelerators, superconducting magnets, fusion devices to operate. The two parties will jointly promote the localized production and extensive application of helium refrigerators to customers in China.