摘要:
A sleeve assembly for thermally interconnecting a pulse tube, two stage cryocooler with a superconducting device includes a heat transfer cylinder, a heat transfer receptacle and a wall extending therebetween to define a passageway. The heat transfer receptacle is formed with a tapered recess wherein a tapered cooling probe of the cryocooler is urged against the heat transfer receptacle to establish thermal communication therebetween. A cooling element of the cryocooler is disposed in the heat transfer cylinder to establish thermal communication therebetween. In operation, the cryocooler moves relative to the sleeve assembly between a first configuration wherein the cryocooler is engaged with the sleeve assembly to establish thermal communication therebetween and a second configuration wherein the cryocooler is disengaged with the sleeve assembly. An expandable bellows which interconnects the cryocooler with the sleeve assembly will maintain thermal insulation therebetween when the cryocooler is disengaged from the sleeve assembly.
摘要:
A method for cooling a superconducting device by using a sleeve assembly which thermally interconnects a two stage cryocooler with the device. In operation, the cryocooler is moveable relative to the sleeve assembly between a first configuration wherein the cryocooler is engaged with the sleeve assembly, and a second configuration wherein the cryocooler is disengaged from the sleeve assembly. The cryocooler is disposed in the sleeve assembly with the cooling element of the cryocooler positioned at a distance from the cylinder of the sleeve assembly to establish thermal communication therebetween. Also, the cooling probe of the cryocooler is in contact with the receptacle of the sleeve assembly and is urged against the receptacle to establish thermal communication therebetween. A bellows joins the cryocooler with the sleeve assembly to create an enclosed chamber therebetween and helium is pumped into the sleeve assembly to maintain an operational pressure in the sleeve assembly.
摘要:
An open access superconducting MRI magnet includes a ferromagnetic frame open on at least two sides and having upper and lower end plates and at least two support posts. A superconducting coil assembly is mounted to each end plate for generating a magnetic flux field in a patient receiving area located between the end plates. A magnetic flux field shaping means is associated with each end plate. The flux field shaping means includes rose shims, inner rings mounted within the rose shims, and removable segments mounted to the rose shims. Transition plates are located between the support ports and end plates for minimizing flux leakage. In addition the end plates are formed with a varying thickness such that a cross section taken perpendicular to a return path of magnetic flux is substantially constant.
摘要:
An open access MRI magnet includes a ferromagnetic frame open on at least two sides and having upper and lower end plates and at least two support columns. A superconducting coil assembly is mounted to each end plate for generating a magnetic flux field in a patient receiving area located between the end plates. Each superconducting coil assembly includes a toroidal vacuum tight vessel, insulation, and one or more temperature shields mounted within the vacuum tight vessel. One or more coils of superconducting wire is wound within the vacuum vessel, and is coupled to a power source and to a persistent switch for maintaining a constant flow of current with no power consumption. A return path for the flux is provided by the end plates and support posts of the frame. The superconducting coils, the thermal shields, and the persistent switch are cooled by a cryocooler, by means of conduction through solid thermal conductors or by a combination of conduction and convection, through a fluid cooling circuit, without the consumption of a liquid cryogen.
摘要:
Ferromagnetic pieces are mounted on a plurality of nonmagnetic radial rods located at desired locations parallel to a pole face of a permanent magnet used in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. The pieces comprise plates which are translatable radially along each rod. Each rod carrying the plates are each rotatable about the rod axis to produce an error field cancelling environmentally induced, low order perturbations. A method for accomplishing same is also included. In a preferred embodiment, the plates are mounted on radial rods positioned at equal angles from one another, preferably thirty degrees (30.degree.) apart and arranged as spokes of a wheel.
摘要:
A MRI superconducting magnet having an open access frame with spaced parallel end plates, a superconducting coil assembly associated with each end plate, and gradient coils associated with each end plate includes an apparatus for minimizing hysteresis. The apparatus for minimizing hysteresis comprises a layer of nonferromagnetic conducting material interposed between the gradient coils and end plates. The interposed layer carries eddy currents induced by time varying magnetic fields produced by the gradient coils, thereby minimizing AC eddy current hysteresis from the end plates. The layer preferably has a thickness of at least one skin depth at the frequency associated with the time varying magnetic field. In another embodiment, each end plate has a plurality of slits formed therein for eliminating eddy currents in the end plates.
摘要:
A magnetic field control apparatus for establishing a uniform field of flux for use in magnetic resonance imaging has a pair of opposed magnetic poles mounted on end plates of variable thickness. A pair of substantially flat parallel pole faces are attached to the facing surfaces of the magnetic poles. The end plates are supported by connecting members. In addition, there is included a plurality of segments movably mounted to the periphery of the pole face for adjusting the density of the magnetic field. The top and bottom end plates may have substantially identical concave portions on the opposite outside surfaces thereof. The magnetic poles and pole faces are preferably in the shape of thin, flat, circular plates. In one embodiment, there is included one or more inner segmented concentric rings for further adjustably controlling the homogeneity of the uniform magnetic flux in the air gap between the opposing pole faces into which a patient can be inserted for magnetic resonance imaging. In another embodiment, the end plates are shaped so that the aggregate cross-sectional area taken in any plane perpendicular to the direction of the return flow of flux is substantially constant.
摘要:
A magnetic resonance imaging magnet has a solenoidal superconducting winding producing a magnetic field and defining an examination region within a bore thereof. The examination region receives a body to be examined. The solenoidal superconducting winding generates a quasi-static magnetic field for aligning atomic nuclei in the body being examined. A two-fold or minimally symmetric ferromagnetic shield has a pair of magnetic flux return paths positioned on opposite sides of the solenoidal superconducting winding for reducing the magnetic field intensity in a region proximate to and outside of the solenoidal superconducting winding. A magnetic field inhomogeneity compensating system reduces magnetic field inhomogeneities introduced into the magnetic field within the examination region by the minimally symmetric ferromagnetic shield to provide a highly uniform quasi-static magnetic field within the examination region.
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:
An improvement in cooling apparatus in a magnet system for providing a localized, substantially homogeneous magnetic field for use in magnetic resonance imaging. The magnet system includes a vacuum vessel, a cryogenic containment vessel inside the vacuum vessel and having a coil of superconductive wire along with a quantity of liquid helium to maintain the wire below its critical temperature. The system also includes an inner thermal radiation shield between the containment vessel and the vacuum vessel and an outer thermal radiation shield between the inner shield and the vacuum vessel. A cryogenic refrigerator is supported by the vacuum vessel and extends inside. This refrigerator has a first-stage heat station cooling the outer shield and second-stage heat station for cooling the inner shield. The improvement includes the provision of a tank holding a quantity of liquid nitrogen. This tank is supported in good heat transfer relationship with the first-stage heat station between the vacuum vessel and the outer shield and is spaced from the outer shield. Tubing is provided for transferring the liquid nitrogen from the tank so that it boils in good heat transfer relationship with the outer shield and also returns gas resulting from the boiling of the liquid nitrogen back to the tank where the refrigerator condenses it in the tank. A method of using the cooling apparatus in the event the refrigerator is not functional, is also disclosed.