System for recycling helium

A system, comprising:

• a bursting chamber with a re-sealable lid and a vent;
• a bursting mechanism disposed inside the bursting chamber;
• wherein the bursting chamber is in fluid communication with a compressor;
• wherein the bursting chamber has a piston with at least one seal, the seal creating a vacuum-tight and gas-tight seal around the piston;
• wherein the piston is operatively connected to a hydraulic cylinder and the piston is moveable by the hydraulic cylinder from a retracted position to an extended position;
• and
• wherein moving the piston from the retracted position to the extended position forces helium from burst balloons out of the bursting chamber and to the compressor;
• and
• wherein an output of the compressor is in fluid communication with an evacuation valve and a control valve;
• wherein when the evacuation valve is opened and the control valve is closed the compressor evacuates the air from the bursting chamber;
• and
• wherein when the evacuation valve is closed and the control valve is opened, and the bursting mechanism is activated, compressed helium gas recovered from balloons burst in the bursting chamber flows through the control valve into a helium storage tank.