Helium Liquefier Development (HeLD)

Presolicitation Notice – Synopsis

NASA Glenn Research Center/GRC has a requirement for the purchase of liquefiers/refrigerators to support space propulsion and cryogenic research and development activities.

• The helium liquefier/refrigerator system must:
  • Implement gas-bearing helium turbo-expanders that have a variable brake design and are located in the cold box at a temperature level below the liquid nitrogen assisted pre-cooling.  Variable brake must allow for an output power reduction to approximately 30% of the maximum, while maintaining high efficiency. No more than three turbines are to be used. 
  • Be capable of a maximum (liquefaction) capacity of no less than 6.8 g/s of make-up gas supplied at ambient temperatures up to 305.4 K and 1.05 bara, that is supplied to a load at a pressure of 3.5 bara and is sub-cooled to a temperature within 0.05 K of the saturation temperature corresponding to 1.25 bara.  For this operating point, the supply pressure to the cold box must not exceed 14 bara. 
  • Be capable of using liquid nitrogen to assist in the pre-cooling of the helium down to approximately 80 K. The liquid nitrogen assisted pre-cooling consumption must not exceed 3.7 g/s per 1 g/s of make-up (helium) gas.

• • Be capable of operating, at a reduced capacity, without liquid nitrogen assisted pre-cooling, but using the cold box turbines without requiring the throttling of the (turbine) inlet valves.
  • Not include an integrated purifier.
  • Be designed to allow use of an alternate compressor capable of a discharge pressure of 18.25 bara., utilizing its supplied exergy (at that pressure level).
• Mechanical design must conform to ASME B31.3 and ASME BPVC Section VIII, as applicable.
• All vacuum vessels must be designed to ASME BPVC Section VIII, Division 1 or 2 (but are not required to have a U-stamp). 
• The high pressure helium stream for cold box system must be rated no less than 18.25 bara per ASME B31.3. 
• Lower pressure helium and nitrogen streams for cold box system must be rated for no less than 10 bara per ASME B31.3. 
• Electrical design must conform to NFPA 70 and UL508A, as applicable.
• Helium turbo-expanders used must have a demonstrated mean time between maintenance (MTBM) of at least 20,000 hours and mean time failure (MTBF) of no less than 100,000 hours is required.

NASA Glenn Research Center/GRC intends to issue a sole source contract to acquire the items from Linde Inc. under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to Ashlee Shaw at ashlee.b.shaw@nasa.gov not later than 5:00 PM EDT on January 29, 2025. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at : https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf