How do you answer the question with what gas do balloons fill? The answer with "air" is not entirely correct. Inflated the usual way, that is, with the mouth, the balls are filled with a gas mixture, which is much heavier than air, so they can take off only if they are thrown, and then their flight lasts only a couple of seconds.
After reading our article, you will know exactly what balloons are inflated with to make them fly, with what gas balloons are inflated at home.
How are balloons inflated to make them fly?
Multi-colored balloons are, of course, good, but even better when they rush up from the hands. The feeling of readiness to fly causes delight and joy in children and adults. Wings seem to grow behind my back.
In order for the balls to fly, they need to be pumped with gas, which is lighter than air and can create a lifting force sufficient to lift the shell. This is known from the school physics course. What kind of gas are balloons inflated with? In theory, several gases are suitable for this purpose.
- Neon, an inert gas that is less dense than air, is relatively harmless, but too expensive to be used to fill balloons.
- Hydrogen is the lightest gas and can be easily obtained from a simple chemical experiment with caustic soda at home. But when mixed with air and oxygen, hydrogen is flammable and explosive. The slightest spark is enough to cause a powerful explosion.
- Nitrogen is a light and abundant gas in the atmosphere, but alas, its lift is too small to lift even a tiny ball.
- Methane is classified as a toxic gas because it has a negative effect on the central nervous system.
How are balloons inflated? According to international safety standards, balloons are inflated with helium - in pure form or with an air-helium mixture. Let's see what kind of gas it is, named by its discoverer Pierre Jansen in honor of the Sun.
What gas are balloons inflated with?
Helium is better than other gases for pumping balloons... In terms of lightness, it ranks second after hydrogen, but unlike it, it is non-toxic, non-flammable and non-explosive. That is why balloons are filled with them all over the world.
Helium is considered a relatively harmless gas. It is dangerous if inhaled intensively as it displaces oxygen from the lungs and thus causes suffocation. If you inhale quite a bit of helium from the balloon, then there will be no harm. You will start talking in a funny voice because the vocal cords will vibrate much faster than usual. But everything is good in moderation.
In nature, helium in its pure form is extremely rare. It is mined from natural gas by fractional distillation at the factory. Helium is sold in both large and portable cylinders - 10 and 40 liters. However, is it worth buying heavy gas equipment to inflate a few balloons for a house party?
How to inflate balloons instead of helium at home?
If you don't have what you need at hand gas equipment, dont be upset. You can make the balls fly without it. Instead of helium, hydrogen is used, the first lightest gas. In order to inflate one balloon, you will need:
- plastic bottle,
- warm water (1 glass),
- a few lumps of aluminum foil
- caustic soda (2-3 teaspoons).
Pour water into the bottle, dip the foil and soda inside. Place the balloon on the neck. Shake the bottle gently. Wait until the shell is filled with hydrogen released during the reaction.
This method is unsafe because hydrogen can explode. Therefore, if you do not have helium, it is better to order balloons from a trusted company.
Based on materials from Mechtalion.ru.
01.05.2015
Balls are used to decorate parties, celebrations and sports events. There are balloons filled with air or volatile gas (helium). In this article, we'll show you how you can inflate a balloon.
Inflating the balloon with air
You can inflate the balloon with your mouth, using hand pump, by means of a foot pump, as well as by means of a compressor (electric pump).
Not every balloon can be inflated with your mouth, this method will work if you need to decorate a room for a birthday, but for knitting garlands of balloons or for inflating balloons for modeling (SM), this method is not suitable for a number of reasons, you will have to resort to using a pump.
There are different pumps, there are specialized for balls, and a special nozzle (spout) is simply bought for others. Let's take a look at the types of pumps used to inflate balloons:
1) Syringe pump
Benefits: minimal cost (about $ 2), compact, ideal for working with a SDM, because delivers air in small doses.
disadvantages: low pumping speed of volumetric balls, practically useless when working with a large number of balls, short-lived and may break under intense load. ShDM master usually pumps in portions and exactly as much as required, which is easily and conveniently regulated by such a pump.
2) Hand pump
Benefits: low cost from 5 to 15 $, lightweight, compact, quickly and easily inflates balloons, usually used to inflate round balloons.
disadvantages: not very comfortable because of the posture in which you have to work.
3) Foot pump
Benefits: these pumps come with a pressure gauge, which allows you to control the pressure, air flow rate, if there is a car, then it does not need to be purchased separately.
disadvantages: cost, weight, inconvenient because of the posture in which you have to work (you need a partner: one puts on balls and ties them, and the second pumps air).
4) Compressor
Benefits: the best air flow rate, control of the pressure of the supplied air (there is a pressure gauge, in expensive electronic models you can limit the upper pressure limit).
disadvantages: high cost (from $ 50 to $ 500 and more), dependence on power supply, weight, dimensions. Ideal for working with a large number of balls, almost irreplaceable if you are engaged in the manufacture of arches and garlands from balls.
Those who deal with balls professionally have a syringe pump for working with a ballast machine and a pump for inflating balls for knitting garlands. If it so happens that you have a reason for a big party and you urgently need to inflate a lot of balloons, then at home your daddy's car pump will be the best solution.
Advice: It is easy to find a pump spout at home - any oblong object, for example a disassembled handle (look for a wide-necked one), and a couple of turns of electrical tape will be enough.
If it is necessary to twist a garland or an arch, then a pump is simply necessary. You should also calculate required amount balls per 1 meter of a garland, so 16 balls are required for 12 inch balls, 9-10 inch balls from 20 to 28 balls, and 5 inch soaps need up to 40 pieces. For enclosed spaces, it is better to take balls of small diameters of 5-10 inches, and for the street it is recommended from 12 inches or more.
Advice: When inflating balloons, always leave enough tail to tie the balloon, and bleed off excess air if pumped - this will preserve the balloon and improve its performance.
Inflation of balloons with helium from a balloon.
Helium is an inert gas without color, taste or smell, the second lightest after hydrogen, more than 7 times lighter than air, non-toxic, non-explosive and does not burn. It is with them that the "flying" balls are filled. A helium bottle is required to fill the balloons. Cylinders are mainly of 2 types: for 10 and 40 liters, 1.33 and 5.3 meters of cubic helium, respectively. In terms of costs, a large cylinder is much more profitable than a small one, more than 2 times.
A 10-liter balloon is enough for 100-150 10-12-inch balloons, and a 40-liter balloon is enough for 400 or 600 10 or 12-inch balloons, respectively, if you inflate small-diameter balloons, then the gas consumption will be less. The cost of small cylinders does not differ much among themselves, if for 10 liters it costs around $ 70-80, then a 40-liter cylinder costs about $ 110-130, refueling a 10-liter cylinder will cost about $ 60 on average, and a 40-liter cylinder from 80 to 110 $. The pressure gauge of a fully filled 40 liter cylinder shows a pressure of 14 MPa.
Any cylinder has a valve. If desired, the balloons can be inflated without any additional devices type of spout or reducer, however, for convenience and to prevent damage to the balls, it is still recommended to use a constricting device (at least a nozzle).
The spout-like attachment can be screwed onto the cylinder, serving as a convenient adapter from the wide cylinder connector with external thread.
Attention: the external thread on the connector of the balloon is often the cause of damage to latex balloons - they break easily.
A cylinder reducer is useful and even necessary for those who deal with balls. Depending on the model and manufacturer, gearboxes come with a pressure gauge, a flow meter, a priming valve, one or more spouts, or with additional replaceable nozzles. The reducer with the maximum complete set allows you to control the pressure level in the cylinder, gas consumption, as well as the value of the gas pressure at the outlet. There are gearboxes with valve and / or push-button mechanisms. The button simplifies gas dosing. In a word, it is the reducer that will understand the state of the balloon, and also make life easier for its owner in inflating the balloons. The cost of a gearbox on the market ranges from $ 30 to $ 150 or more.
By the way: latex balloons should be inflated by 0.2-0.35 at.
A large cylinder is not suitable for household use, it large sizes and weighs over 70 kg. If you need to inflate a relatively small number of balloons (up to 150), then you can use a small 10 liter balloon, especially since the Internet is full of rental advertisements. A 10 liter bottle weighs about 17 kg.
You should know: latex balloon with helium will lose its properties for flight in 6-12 hours, because latex is a porous material and gas molecules penetrate the walls of the ball.
To prevent this from happening, the ball undergoes a special treatment: a special liquid polymer (Hi-float) is sprayed inside, drying in 1 minute, which forms an additional protective layer that prevents the escape of helium. The treated balloon can fly for more than a month indoors. Can
Release balloons into the sky, a lot of balloons! Children dream about it, this is a favorite technique of organizers of major holidays and events. This requires 10-12 inch balloons without processing in large quantities, helium cylinders and a mesh. The inflated balloons are placed in a special net, which is untied at the right time and the balloons rush into the sky.
Preparation for the holiday should be thorough, especially for activities for children. Boys and girls come into indescribable delight when they come across helium balloons, directed upwards. Such festive attributes give the atmosphere a special atmosphere, but it is not always possible to assemble a composition of balloons from professionals. In urgent cases, you have to look for alternative ways at home.
Table salt and copper sulfate
Prepare cool filtered water, food foil, glass bottle, table salt and copper sulfate... To avoid damage to your skin, wear rubber gloves, a robe with a throat and protective transparent glasses.
- Unfold a sheet of foil and cut a plate 18 * 18 cm in thin lines of about 0.5 cm, then send the strips into a liter glass bottle. Next, add 75 gr. copper sulfate and 85 gr. chopped table salt. Cover the neck immediately with your hand to prevent a reaction due to oxygen admission.
- On this stage you will need a friend's help, since the procedure must be carried out quickly Pour into a 430 ml bottle. filtered water, quickly put a ball on the neck and hold it at the base. Please note that the reaction will start instantly, you will learn about this by the state of the mixture, it will go into the gaseous phase.
- Try not to waste the mixture, one such composition will be enough for several balls. On average, one balloon will inflate for about 4 seconds, so don't hesitate.
Important!
Keep your face away from the mixture bottle to avoid damage to the skin and mucous membranes of the eyes. If the balloon bursts or falls off the neck, you could be seriously injured. Keep the vessel at arm's length.
When will it start chemical reaction, the bottle will get hot at short time... To avoid burns, you can immerse it in cool water or pinch it with an unnecessary cloth / towel.
Sodium hydroxide
The alkaline solution is harmful to the skin, so be sure to wear gloves, a gown, and safety glasses. Sodium hydroxide is a mixture of caustic soda and concentrated (caustic) sodium, which is unsafe in itself. Carry out the procedure away from children and pets, be sure to ventilate the area before and after inflating the balloons.
Prepare warm filtered water, sodium hydroxide (alkali), industrial or hookah foil (dense), a liter glass bottle.
- Fill a 450 ml bottle. clean warm water.
- Take one 20 * 20 cm plate of foil. Divide it into thin lines or chop into very small pieces, add to the water tank.
- Measure exactly 20 grams. sodium hydroxide and gently pour it into the bottle, be sure to do it with gloves.
- Pull the base of the ball over the neck of the vessel, squeeze it well so that the ball does not fly off.
- Shake the container, the foil should be completely immersed in the composition.
- You will see that the balloon will begin to inflate, do not try to collect too much helium at a time, it is better to stretch the composition for several passes.
This technique is considered the safest because it does not include alkali or other industrial concentrates. However, precautions must be followed. Always use silicone or rubber gloves, glasses, gown.
Prepare a vinegar solution (regular table vinegar), its concentration should not exceed the 9% mark. Make sure you have baking soda on hand.
- The peculiarity of the method is such that the composition is poured not only into the bottle, but also into the ball. Pour 45-55 ml into the vessel. vinegar solution, pour 30 gr into the ball. baking soda, then slide the base over the neck of the container.
- Gently flip the ball over to pour the baking soda into the vinegar. The reaction will take place instantly: the container will become warm, and the balloon will begin to inflate.
- To fill the next balls, clean the cavity of the bottle from the previous composition, wipe dry and repeat the manipulations. The container must be dry, otherwise moisture will suppress the reaction.
Electrodes and battery
To prepare the composition, you will need to acquire a 12-watt battery, an electrolyte (sulfuric acid or potassium hydroxide is suitable), graphite electrodes (not copper!). In addition to the basic components, take care of two liter plastic bottles, a plastic wash basin and clean filtered water. As with all previous methods, protect your skin and eyes (wear a dressing gown, gloves, glasses).
- Take a 15 liter basin, fill it up clean water half.
- Pour potassium hydroxide / sulfuric acid (electrolyte) into the first liter bottle, retreating from the edge of the neck by 3-4 cm.
- Take the ball and put the base on the hole of the vessel, then make small holes in the bottom of the vessel and insert the electrode. Observe the tightness, the holes should not be wide so that the device fits snugly into the vessel.
- Do the same for the second bottle in sequence. When everything is ready, move on to the next step.
- Place both bottles in a basin, place the battery next to it and connect the electrodes to it, observing the polarity (plus "+", minus "-").
- Connect the battery to a power source, watch for the beginning of the reaction.
An important feature this method is that only one ball on the side with negative polarity can rise upward (it will be filled with hydrogen). The second balloon will be saturated with oxygen, so there is little use from it.
Make sure in advance that you are close at hand necessary materials and tools, observe safety precautions. Difficult ways using electrodes and a battery, as well as sodium hydroxide, should be entrusted to a man. Women will be able to make the preparation of a composition from soda and vinegar, salt and copper sulfate a reality.
Video: do-it-yourself flying balloon without helium
Instructions
Buy or rent a helium bottle and stand from a specialized agency to make it easier for you to work. You will also need accessories such as replaceable nozzles and a pressure gauge that monitors how much gas is left in the cylinder.
Place the balloon over the opening of the nozzle and open the bottle valve. Fill the balloon with helium to the correct size and close the valve. If you need a large quantity of the same size, then make a simple device - a sizer - that allows you to adjust the size of the gas-filled balls.
A sizer is a sheet of cardboard or plastic with a hole of a certain diameter cut into it. The adjustment of the balls to one size is as follows: the ball is inflated and inserted into the opening of the sizer, thus determining whether it is necessary to add volume or, conversely, reduce it by releasing a certain amount from the ball.
Pre-fill the balloon with air and deflate it, and then fill it with helium - this will allow you to straighten the balloon well, and also make sure its integrity. You need to inflate the latex balloon with helium until it begins to acquire a pear-shaped shape. A fully inflated balloon will fly much longer.
Helium balloons deflate very quickly compared to air. To increase the lifespan of a balloon inflated with helium up to 5 days, use a special compound that covers the porous surface of the balloon with a thin layer of plastic and makes it impervious. Inject a small amount of this compound into the balloon before inflating.
There is a faster (but also more easily soiled) option for applying this liquid to the outer surface of the ball. Put the non-inflated ball tightly on the pencil and lower it into the composition to the level of the tail, preventing liquid from getting inside. It is necessary to cover the entire ball completely - straighten any wrinkles and moisten the untreated areas. Let the ball dry for a couple of minutes. Inflate the balloon with helium while it is still wet.
Tie the tail of the finished ball in a knot. If you used a special composition to increase the flight time of the balloons, then soak them for about two hours in a room with low humidity so that the liquid inside the balloons dries faster.
Related Videos
note
Do not fill balloons with helium long before the celebration, as you risk getting a disastrous result at the appointed time - the gas will completely or partially evaporate, and the balloons will not be able to fly. This is especially true for balls not treated with a special composition.
A 3 liter balloon is enough to inflate 20-30 large balloons with helium. To fill balls in large quantities use the service of renting helium cylinders and other professional equipment.
Sources:
- inflate balloons with helium at home
- Is it possible to inflate a balloon with helium at home
What can create an atmosphere of celebration and carefree fun better than multi-colored air balls? From childhood, everyone knows the joy they give. But what was it worth in those days to inflate at least one balloon! Today the technologies of the entertainment industry have gone far ahead, balloons are made from environmentally friendly and soft latex, and inflating even a large number of balloons in the shortest possible time is quite within the power of one person.
Instructions
First, decide what size balls you need. If you are going to decorate a room or an open area with garlands, then you will need a lot of the same size. The standard diameter of the balls used for making is 25 cm. They will need to be inflated according to a single pattern. Professionals use a sizer () for this.
Draw a hole in the form of a square with a side of 25 cm or a circle of the same diameter on the sheet or plastic. Cut a hole. In the process of work, insert the inflated balls into this hole and adjust their size to a single sample, releasing excess air or blowing the balls to the desired size.
The balls are filled using different devices. A mini hand pump is ideal for inflating small latex or foil balloons. Insert the tip into the hole in the ball and inflate the ball with the piston.
There is also a balloon pump used in conjunction with compressed air. A special nozzle is put on the balloon (in accordance with the size of the balloon - large or small). By unscrewing the valve on the air cylinder, you can adjust the air supply when the balloons are inflated.
Balloons filled with air or helium must be tied so that air does not escape from them. In order to tie an inflated balloon, you need to take it in one hand, and with the other, clamp the tail of the balloon and twist it, pulling the tail with force. Then wrap the ponytail around your index and middle fingers to form a loop. Thread the ponytail through this loop and tighten.
For quick tying of latex balloons filled with helium, you can use special plastic discs with a ribbon. And for tying, filled with air, there are special rosettes on a stick.
note
When decorating an open area with balloons, keep in mind that air-filled latex balloons will expand by another 10%, and foil balloons filled with helium will expand by about 20%. It is also necessary to avoid direct sunlight on the balloon compositions.
Avoid getting helium in the airways, as it is bad for the brain.
Store latex balloons in a dry place when room temperature, protecting from direct sunlight and ultraviolet rays, in order to avoid sticking and deformation.
Helpful advice
First inflate the balloon to its maximum size, and then release 10% of the air from it, this can extend the life of the balloon, as its surface will become more elastic.
Before filling the balloon with helium, fill it with air and then deflate it. This additional maneuver will increase the balloon size when inflated with helium by 10% and extend its life. It also avoids gas leakage if the ball is defective.
Do not inflate the balloons with helium in advance, because inflated balloons will be able to stay in the air for no more than 18 hours (with a diameter of 30 cm). It is best to inflate the balloons directly on the day of the celebration.
Sources:
- balloons how to inflate
You can inflate houses with a homemade hydrogen plant. To make it, you will need a bottle, copper sulfate, salt, a syringe, a hose, and copper and aluminum wires.
Balloons are an invariable attribute of the holiday, but if you have to inflate a large number of balloons, but there are no helium balloons? No problem. You can get your own hydrogen without even leaving your home. To do this, you will need a simple plastic bottle, syringe, hose, natural cork, copper sulfate, copper wire, aluminum wire, or better aluminium foil, sealant, food salt and the balloons themselves.
As a replacement aluminum wire or foil, you can use an aluminum can, the only condition is to clean it inner surface from paint and a protective polymer layer. And yet - all work is best done with protective gloves and goggles.
Hydrogen plant assembly stages
You need to drill two holes in the bottle cap: one for the hose, the other for the syringe. For better fastening of the syringe on its tip and in one of the holes on the lid, it is desirable to make a thread. Fix a syringe and a hose in the holes made, and grease their joints with sealant. Put a plug on the free end of the hose - it will secure the ball. A copper wire must be attached to the syringe plunger, and the joint must also be treated with a sealant. An aluminum wire or crumpled foil must be tied to the free end of the attached wire. The piston will provide free movement aluminum reagent bottle.
By pushing the reagent out of the bottle and closing the lid, you can get a complete hydrogen plant. To start using it, the cap from the bottle, together with the aluminum reagent, must be removed, and copper sulfate and edible salt must be poured into the bottle in a 1: 1 ratio. Cover with water and wait until the mixture is completely dissolved. The contents of the bottle need cold, for this it can be placed in a basin with cold water... A balloon is put on the plug, fixed at the end of the hose, after which the aluminum must be immersed in a solution of vitriol and salt and the cap screwed on.
How does the process of balloon inflation
The reaction will follow immediately: the released hydrogen will fill the ball. As the aluminum oxide film dissolves and the solution heats up, the reaction will only accelerate. If hydrogen evolution is too violent, you can remove the aluminum from the solution by pulling the syringe plunger towards you. It is strictly forbidden to pull a balloon directly onto the neck of the bottle! The resulting balls can be left as they are, or you can stick around them with white or black bags, as well as attach an LED and launch the ball in the dark.
When decorating holidays with balloons, balloons inflated with helium are often used. We will tell you how to properly inflate with helium and tie balloons.
You will need
- - a cylinder with compressed helium (volume 10 liters or 40 liters);
- - 12 "latex balloons;
- - braid for tying inflated balls - decorative polypropylene tape 5 mm wide;
- - scissors for cutting the braid.
To create a truly festive mood, you need balloons. Ask any person what the holiday is associated with, and he, one way or another, will say about balloons... They are really loved by both adults and children, so a holiday without such decorations ... Not the most fun.
Even if there are pyrotechnics and various achievements of the entertainment industry. And if the balls fly, then this is generally akin to magic. So it's pretty easy to create an unforgettable holiday with cool decorations. Moreover, now many companies offer such a convenient service as balloon delivery.
Today there are many varieties of balloons - latex, round, long, in the form of hearts or other shapes. There are foils: from small to huge, from simple round to complex shapes. There are balls in the form of cartoon characters, animals, letters and numbers. Matte, transparent, pearlescent, shiny, stars, flowers, animals, cars ... Anything. And yes, all this can fly - the main thing is that the balloon is inflated with the correct gas.
From our article you will learn how balloons are inflated, with what gas they need to be inflated in order for them to fly and how balloons can be inflated at home.
What gas are balloons inflated with?
The most common is ordinary air. What could be easier than inflating a balloon? Nothing, especially if there is a pump. A couple of seconds - and bright decoration ready for the holiday. It is with air that balloons are inflated from which flowers, garlands and all those decorations that are fixed on walls, stairs, windows are made.What other gas are balloons inflated with? Carbon dioxide. This is the way for those who love chemical experiments or simply does not want to bother with the usual inflation.
To get carbon dioxide, it is enough to combine ordinary vinegar, 9% and soda. One item needs 150 ml of vinegar and a tablespoon of baking soda. The powder is poured into a ball, after which its tail is pulled over a bottle of vinegar, the ball is shaken so that the soda spills into the bottle. A violent reaction - and now the ball is full.
How are balloons inflated to make them fly?
Hydrogen was once used. But they quickly abandoned it, because in combination with oxygen, it forms an explosive gas. Piroshaw is, of course, interesting, but only if it is manageable. And the explosion of a balloon cannot be called controlled.
Therefore, instead of hydrogen, they began to use helium. It fits perfectly - much lighter than air, completely inert and safe, quite affordable. Perfect gas for flying crafts. In addition, it is safe for health - helium is even found in scuba diving mixes. And the interesting side effect of inhaling it, the funny voice, is even fun. Plus, helium is odorless or tasteless. And if the jewelry bursts, nothing bad will happen.
How to inflate balloons instead of helium at home?
In principle, helium is not so inaccessible that it cannot be bought for the home. But if you don't want to buy a balloon, then there is only one option for a flying balloon: hydrogen. Yes, it is to some extent dangerous, but it is the only gas that is lighter than air, and it can be obtained with the help of improvised means. And it is mined as follows:- 150 ml of warm water is poured into a bottle;
- Pieces of ordinary foil are thrown there;
- Then add 3 tablespoons of caustic (caustic soda, sewer cleaner);
- A balloon is immediately put on the bottle.
Attention! Hydrogen is potentially dangerous, and so is caustic experiments. This gas cannot be inhaled. You should also keep these balloons away from fire, including the candles on the birthday cake, sparklers etc. Therefore, if you want to decorate the holiday with flying balloons, you should not risk it. After all, the risk here is not only that the holiday will deteriorate ...
It is much better to go to the store, where you can choose the right balloons, and they will be delivered to you already inflated. Everything becomes much easier and not that expensive. And you don't need to think about how to inflate balloons at home, what to use instead of helium, and so on.
Material prepared by Mechtalion.ru.
Buy gel balloons in Podolsk balloons delivery of balloons.