Reliable gas blending depends on one thing above all else: pressure. When pressure is available where it is needed, diving cylinders fill smoothly, target pressures are easy to reach, and gas is used efficiently.
However, as day-to-day operations continue, pressure limitations can quietly creep in, and these small inefficiencies add up over time. Below are three clear signs that a high-pressure booster could help restore speed, consistency, and control to your filling process.
What is a High-Pressure Booster?
A high-pressure booster, also known as a gas booster pump, is a device used to move gas from a lower-pressure supply cylinder into another cylinder that needs to be filled to a higher pressure. In simple terms, it helps you recover and make full use of gas that would otherwise be left behind once the pressure in a supply cylinder becomes too low.
For example,
If you have a 50-liter helium storage cylinder with only 30 bar remaining, that helium cannot be transferred directly into a higher-pressure diving cylinder. By using a booster, the helium can be safely moved into a partially used Trimix cylinder, such as one containing 21 percent oxygen and 35 percent helium.
Before boosting, proper gas blending calculations are carried out to determine how much helium is needed. The booster is then used to raise the pressure of the helium and transfer it into the Trimix cylinder until the desired final pressure is reached.
Why Issues Appear During Gas Filling?
Gas transfer follows a basic physical rule. Gas only flows from a higher-pressure source into a lower-pressure cylinder. As pressures get closer, flow slows. Once pressures equalize, gas transfer stops.
In daily filling operations, this limitation rarely shows up as a sudden failure. Instead, it appears as small but persistent inefficiencies in the workflow. Fill times increase, reaching target pressures becomes more difficult, and usable gas remains trapped in source cylinders.
Below are three clear signs that your operation may benefit from a high-pressure gas booster:
1. Fill Times Are Long
A common sign of a pressure bottleneck is when cylinder fills take longer than expected. As a cylinder fills, its internal pressure rises, reducing the pressure difference between the supply source and the target cylinder. As this difference drops, gas flow slows down.
Once both pressures equalize, gas transfer stops completely. Without a booster, the final part of a fill becomes very slow or cannot continue at all. To compensate, operators often switch between higher-pressure storage banks or wait for cylinders to cool before checking pressure, adding delays to the workflow.
The result is reduced productivity, with technicians and equipment tied up for longer than necessary. A high-pressure booster maintains usable pressure, allowing fills to continue efficiently from start to finish.
2. Target Pressures Are Difficult To Reach
Inconsistent final fill pressures are a clear sign of a pressure limitation. In high-pressure applications, cylinders may stall before reaching their required working pressure.
This happens because gas flow stops once the pressure in the supply cylinder equals the pressure in the diving cylinder. Without a booster, it is not possible to decant gas beyond this point. If the supply pressure drops below the target working pressure, such as 200 or 300 bar, the fill simply cannot continue.
The result is underfilled cylinders and inconsistent delivery. A high-pressure booster overcomes this limitation by raising supply pressure above the target, allowing cylinders to be filled completely and reliably.
Related Article: Why Booster Won't Reach Final Pressure
3. Source Cylinders Are Left With Unused Gas
A costly issue occurs when source cylinders are returned while they still contain usable gas. This happens when the pressure in the storage cylinder drops below the pressure of the diving cylinder being filled. At that point, gas transfer stops, even though valuable gas remains inside.
Because gas cannot be decanted from a lower-pressure cylinder into a higher-pressure one, this remaining gas becomes stranded. Without a way to increase pressure, it goes unused and is effectively wasted.
A high-pressure gas booster solves this by allowing the remaining gas to be decanted fully. This improves gas utilization, reduces waste, and ensures more value is recovered from every source cylinder.
Ready for a High-Pressure Gas Booster?
Once a pressure limitation has been identified, the focus shifts to selecting a solution that fits daily gas blending operations. NRC TEC Booster Pumps are built for this exact purpose.
They integrate cleanly into existing blending systems and provide a stable, controllable pressure increase where it is needed. This allows operators to continue decanting efficiently, reach full working pressures, and recover usable gas from source cylinders without adding unnecessary complexity to the workflow.
Explore NRC Gas Boosters and optimize your gas blending workflow!
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a booster contaminate the gas?
No. A properly designed high-pressure booster keeps the drive mechanism and the gas path completely separate. Only the gas side comes into contact with the breathing or industrial gas, so purity is maintained throughout the boosting and decanting process.
How much maintenance does a booster require?
High-pressure boosters are designed for regular professional use and follow a structured maintenance routine. This includes simple periodic inspections by the operator and scheduled service tasks, such as seal replacement, performed at defined intervals. When used as intended and serviced according to guidelines, boosters deliver reliable performance over long service intervals.
Is it a cost-effective solution?
Yes, especially in pressure-limited workflows. By allowing cylinders to be filled to full working pressure and enabling gas recovery from low-pressure source cylinders, a booster reduces wasted gas and shortens fill times.
