摘要:
Methods and apparatus are provided for minimizing heat introduced by electrical leads into the cryogenic liquid in which a superconducting magnet is immersed. The electrical leads have normal portions extending from exterior of the cryogenic liquid containment vessel and thereinto and superconducting portions extending vertically downward therefrom and connected to the magnet. Means are provided to lower and raise the level of cryogenic liquid around the superconducting portions of the leads to fully immerse the supercoducting portions during periods of magnet energization and expose selected segments thereof when the magnet is de-energized. When exposed, the non-immersed segments provide a thermal resistance between the normal metal portions and the cryogenic liquid.
摘要:
A magnet system for providing a substantially homogeneous magnetic field in a region. The magnet system includes a main coil and a pair of correcting coils with the main coil generating a magnetic field in a zone including the region. The correcting coils are at first and second locations in the zone and are connected to one another so that a magnetic field generated by the main coil will induce currents in the correcting coils which oppose one another. The correcting coils are constructed so that there will be no resultant current in them when there is generated substantially the same field strength of both of the first and second locations. Thus, the generation of differing magnetic field strengths at the respective locations effects generation of a resultant current in the correcting coil causing strengthening of the magnetic field at the location having the lesser magnetic field strength and weakening of the magnetic field at the other location, making the net field relatively homogeneous.
摘要:
A cryogenic containment vessel for use with a pulsed superconducting magnet system includes a superconducting coil positioned within the cryogenic containment vessel for providing a magnetic field. The containment vessel includes a relatively thin metallic inner tube for holding liquid helium and the coil. The containment vessel also includes a relatively thick outer tube encompassing the inner tube with a relatively rigid insulative spacer positioned between the inner and outer tubes so that the tubes are not in contact with each other. The outer tube is predominantly metallic and has at least one joint formed of insulative material to prevent the outer tube from forming a low electrical resistance loop. The inner tube provides a vacuum seal and the outer tube provides structural support for the inner tube so that eddy current losses resulting from ramping of the current to the coil are reduced. A method of fabricating the containment vessel is also disclosed.
摘要:
A magnet system for providing a localized, substantially homogeneous field for use in medical magnetic resonance imaging and its incorporation into a method of siting. The magnet system includes a vacuum vessel defining a bore for receiving the subject of the imaging and having a first end and a second end. A cryogenic containment vessel is supported within the vacuum vessel and a single coil is disposed within the containment vessel for providing the magnetic field. The magnetic system also includes a shield assembly of ferromagnetic material positioned closely adjacent the outside of the vacuum vessel and including first and second end assemblies and a plurality of axially extending beam-like members interconnecting the end assemblies. The coil comprises a winding made up of thousands of turns of small superconductive wire and which is configured to compensate for the effect of the presence of the shield to provide the substantially homogeneous field at a predetermined location in the bore. The components of the shield assembly are adapted for mounting to said vacuum vessel after siting. This permits simplified siting of the magnet system in that the vacuum vessel with the components inside of it can be sited first and the components of the shield assembly thereafter mounted on the vacuum vessel. A method of manufacturing the magnet system is also disclosed.
摘要:
A method and apparatus are provided for protecting a superconducting magnetic energy storage system having a coil from damage caused by a change of state of at least a portion of the coil from superconducting to normal conducting, and the consequent conversion of stored electrical energy to heat. A thermal capacitance is placed in thermal contact with the coil. The thermal capacitance is formed of a substance, such as nitrogen, which is solid at operating pressure at a temperature substantially above the transition temperature of the coil and that vaporizes below the temperature at which the system is damaged. The volume of the substance is sufficient to provide thermal capacity upon vaporization of the substance to dissipate substantially all of the stored energy without permitting the system to overheat. Liquid helium is provided in thermal contact with the substance and the coil for normally cooling the coil and the thermal capacitance to a temperature which is low enough so that the coil is in its superconducting state and the substance becomes substantially solid. Means are also provided for propagating any normal conducting region that is present for more than a very short time over substantially all of the coil by removing the helium from thermal contact with a substantial portion of the coil. In this manner, the substance absorbs the stored energy while maintaining the temperature of the system below the temperature at which it is damaged.
摘要:
Improved Stirling cycle machine including at least a pair of eccentric disks fixed to a pair of rotatable shafts in phase with each other and which eccentric disks upon rotation of the shafts (in opposite directions in the preferred embodiment) also rotate (in opposite directions in the preferred embodiment) and impart upward movement to a bellows defining a variable-volume compression or expansion chamber with a reduced tendency to also impart side thrust, rocking motion, or lateral movement to the bellows whereby bellows wear is reduced and the life of the bellows and the Stirling cycle machine is increased.
摘要:
A magnet system, having permanently installed power leads, for providing a magnetic field. The system includes a vacuum vessel and a cryogenic containment vessel supported within the vacuum vessel. The containment vessel holds a main coil formed of superconductive wire, along with a quantity of liquid helium to maintain the wire below its critical temperature. The power leads, which supply energy to the coil from a power supply outside the vacuum vessel, also take energy from the coil to a load resistor outside the vacuum vessel when the coil is discharged, each include an elongate metallic tube. The magnet system also includes a solenoid controlled valve which is responsive to the passage of electric current through the tubes of the power leads to cause helium gas resulting from the boiling of liquid helium in the containment vessel to be vented to atmosphere through the tube thereby cooling them.
摘要:
According to the present invention, improved cryogenic magnet systems for use in MRI devices are provided. These systems comprise an electromagnet immersed in a first tank containing a first liquefied gas. The first tank is located in an evacuated container that is evacuated to a high vacuum. A refrigerating system external to said evacuated container includes a second gas and a means for liquefying said second gas. A heat radiation shield means surrounding said first tank is cooled by the liquified second gas. Features of the invention include a thermal siphon for cooling the heat radiation shield and neon as the second gas.
摘要:
A refrigeration system includes a dewar and a refrigerator/liquefier which meets the variable demands of a superconducting magnet within the dewar. The system is sized to meet average loads over a defined duty cycle, and is variably operable to meed demands. In the preferred embodiment, a first supply of fluid circulates through a "condenser" element positioned in a dewar ullage to liquefy a separate supply of fluid in the dewar, and to refrigerate a pulsed cryogenic load therein, such as a superconducting magnet. A portion of the first supply of fluid may be diverted to refrigerate a second pulsed cryogenic load, such as magnet current leads permanently connected to the magnet. The dewar includes a cold gas vapor storage chamber separate from the dewar ullage, and the chamber is preferably located within the inner core of a solenoid superconducting magnet for compact and thermally efficient design. Responsive, independent adjustment of refrigeration to pulsed cryogenic loads is made possible.
摘要:
Cryogenic regenerator formed by a spirally rolled, flexible composite material including a base layer having a top and a bottom provided with a plurality of spaced, substantially parallel corrugations extending outwardly therefrom and wherein the flexible base layer is rolled into a generally cylindrical spiral with the corrugations extending radially inwardly and engaging the top of the base layer to cause the base layer and the corrugations to cooperatively form a plurality of channels for conducting the working fluid through the regenerator. The relatively flexible composite material may be a relatively flexible, hardened epoxy; the composite material may be loaded with thermally conductive material and may be an epoxy loaded with thermally conductive material. The depth or transverse cross-sectional area of the regenerator channels may continuously decrease from the hot end to the cold end of the regenerator to reduce the working fluid volume in the regenerator and to decrease the pressure drop across the regenerator by providing an improved match between the density of the working fluid and the depth or transverse cross-sectional area of the regenerator channels from the hot end towards the cold end.