ALS users should follow Berkeley Lab policy, as described below, for the purchase, delivery, storage, and use of all gases at the ALS. See Shipping and Receiving for information on any non-gas deliveries.
Contacts
- Gas purchase or delivery: ALS Receiving, 510-486-4494
- Gas use and storage: ALS Chemical Safety, 510-486-7681, als-chemsafety@lbl.gov
Gas Storage: Berkeley Lab Chemical Inventory
All gas bottles and cylinders at the ALS must be identified with an RFID tag and logged into the Berkeley Lab Chemical Inventory by ALS staff. The inventory will be updated periodically; for more information contact ALS Chemical Safety. Most gases are stored in the racks outdoors at the junction of buildings 6, 80, and 15; toxic and corrosive gases are stored in Building 6C, accessed from a door across the walkway from Beamline 10.0. Please note that access to the 6C door is strictly controlled for safety and security purposes. Contact ALS Chemical Safety to discuss access.
Gas Purchase and Delivery
Common Gases: He, Ar, N2, and CO2
A supply of these commonly used gases (large cylinders, standard purity), is available for ALS users at no charge. Cylinders are stored in the gas storage racks outdoors at the junction of buildings 6, 80, and 15. Users may remove a bottle for use once they have notified ALS staff either by emailing the contact listed on signage at the gas racks, or by scanning a QR code and filling out the Gas Cylinder Use Form. ALS staff will reorder additional cylinders based on cylinders used in order to maintain a readily available supply of common gases for all users. Please note that due to supply chain interruptions, there are occasional shortages of nitrogen and helium. If you need a large quantity of any gas, please notify ALS Chemical Safety well in advance of your beamtime to ensure enough gas is available.
Other Standard Industrial Gases and Specialty Gases
Non-toxic and non-corrosive gases can be purchased through your own institute and delivered to the ALS. Please contact ALS Receiving before purchase. Gas cylinders will be delivered to the gas storage racks at the ALS (or the building specified by the purchaser). All gas cylinders delivered to the ALS will be labeled with the name of the user or group who ordered them. Non-flammable gases will be stored in the main racks outdoors at the junction of 6, 80, and 15. Flammable gases will be stored outside of 6C. Please note that access to this gas pad will require access to the Building 6C door. Contact ALS Chemical Safety to discuss access.
If preferred, these gases may be purchased through ALS by user groups with an ALS Account. A complete list of standard industrial gases, plus many other nontoxic and/or non-corrosive specialty gases can be found in the LBNL eBuy catalog with either Linde or Airgas. Please contact ALS Receiving and provide the following information:
- Your name
- Your account number
- Your phone number
- Destination building number (put “6” for ALS floor)
- Gas and quantity required
Toxic and Corrosive Gases
The purchase of toxic and/or corrosive gases must be handled by Berkeley Lab staff and will require review by the ALS Chemical Safety Specialist and possibly the LBNL EH&S Division or LBNL Security and Emergency Services. For additional information about the purchase of toxic and/or corrosive gases at the ALS, contact ALS Chemical Safety.
Anyone intending to use toxic and/or corrosive gases in experiments at the ALS should contact ALS Chemical Safety well in advance to ensure that all safety reviews and controls can be implemented before the start of beamtime. Failure to do so may cause significant delays to your experiment.