Pulse tube cryocooler system for magnetic resonance superconducting magnets
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F17C-005/02
F25B-009/00
F28F-007/00
출원번호
US-0391872
(2003-03-19)
발명자
/ 주소
Lehmann, Gregory A.
Mangano, Roy A.
Ginfrida, Clifford J.
McGuinness, Kathleen W.
출원인 / 주소
GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
대리인 / 주소
Bernard, Esq. Christopher L.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
14인용 특허 :
12
초록▼
A magnetic resonance assembly comprising, a liquid cryogen vessel, a liquid cryogen cooled conducting magnet disposed within the liquid cryogen vessel, a closed vaccum vessel surrounding the liquid cryogen vessel and spaced from the liquid cryogen vessel, a cooling device fixably attached to the vac
A magnetic resonance assembly comprising, a liquid cryogen vessel, a liquid cryogen cooled conducting magnet disposed within the liquid cryogen vessel, a closed vaccum vessel surrounding the liquid cryogen vessel and spaced from the liquid cryogen vessel, a cooling device fixably attached to the vacuum vessel operable for providing cryogenic temperatures to the superconducting magnet, a heat exchanger device in thermal contact with the liquid cryogen vessel operable for heat exchange, and a bus bar in thermal contact with the cooling device and the heat exchanger device. The cooling device may be a pulse tube cryocooler capable of providing temperatures of about 4 K. A thermal bus bar of high purity aluminum or copper is used to connect and provide a spatial separation of a pulse tube cryocooler and a remote recondenser unit, thus reducing the overall height of the magnet assembly.
대표청구항▼
1. A magnetic resonance assembly, comprising;a liquid cryogen vessel;a liquid cryogen cooled superconducting magnet disposed within the liquid cryogen vessel;a closed vacuum vessel surrounding the liquid cryogen vessel and spaced from the liquid cryogen vessel;a cooling device fixably attached to th
1. A magnetic resonance assembly, comprising;a liquid cryogen vessel;a liquid cryogen cooled superconducting magnet disposed within the liquid cryogen vessel;a closed vacuum vessel surrounding the liquid cryogen vessel and spaced from the liquid cryogen vessel;a cooling device fixably attached to the closed vacuum vessel operable for cooling a liquid cryogen that is used to cool the liquid cryogen cooled superconducting magnet;a heat exchanger device in thermal contact with the liquid cryogen vessel operable for heat exchange; anda rigid bus bar in thermal contact with the cooling device and the heat exchanger device,wherein the rigid bus bar comprises a low thermal loss interface between the cooling device and the heat exchanger device, thereby allowing the cooling device and the heat exchanger device to be positioned apart from and not in direct contact with one another, which in turn allows the cooling device to be positioned anywhere on the closed vacuum vessel at the top of or above the liquid cryogen cooled superconducting magnet, thereby allowing the overall height of the magnetic resonance assembly to be minimized as compared to positioning the cooling device directly above the heat exchanger device. 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cooling device is a pulse tube cryocooler. 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the rigid bus bar is fixably connected to the cooling device and the heat exchanger device by way of a weld, joint, clamp, bolted indium joint, or combinations thereof. 4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the rigid bus bar is made from a material selected from the group consisting of high purity aluminum and high-purity copper, wherein high purity is defined as greater than 99.999 percent by weight for aluminum and 99.99 percent by weight for copper. 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger device is disposed within the vacuum vessel in any location above a maximum liquid cryogen level. 6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger device is a remote recondensor device. 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger device is connected to the liquid cryogen vessel via one or more lines operable for transporting gas, wherein the lines allow cryogen gas to flow upward into the heat exchanger device, allow recondensed cryogen liquid to flow back into the liquid cryogen vessel, and provide thermal and vibration isolation between the heat exchanger device and the liquid cryogen vessel. 8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the liquid cryogen comprises helium. 9. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a thermal shield disposed in the space between the closed vacuum vessel and the liquid cryogen vessel. 10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cooling device provides cooling to a temperature of about 4 K. 11. A superconducting magnet system, comprising:a vacuum vessel;a liquid cryogen vessel;a superconducting magnet;a thermal shield disposed in a space between the vacuum vessel and the liquid cryogen vessel;a pulse tube cryocooler fixably attached to the vacuum vessel;a recondensor device connected to the liquid cryogen vessel via one or more tubes and disposed within the vacuum vessel; anda rigid thermal bus bar fixably attached to the pulse tube cryocooler and the recondensor device;wherein the rigid thermal bus bar is comprised of high purity aluminum or high purity copper, wherein high purity aluminum or high purity copper is defined as greater than 99.999 percent by weight for aluminum and 99.99 percent by weight for copper, wherein the rigid thermal bus bar comprises a low thermal loss interface between the pulse tube cryocooler and the recondensor device, thereby allowing the pulse tube cryocooler and the recondensor device to be positioned apart from and not in direct contact with one another, which in turn allows the pulse tube cryocooler to be positioned anywhere on the vacuum vessel at the top of or above the superconducting magnet, thereby allowing the overall height of the superconducting magnet system to be minimized as compared to positioning the cooling device directly above the recondensor device. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein a coldhead of the pulse tube cryocooler may be moved vertically up and down in order to satisfy an overall height requirement of the system. 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the rigid thermal bus bar is operable for allowing the pulse tube cryocooler to be positioned on the vacuum vessel at any location at the top of or above the superconducting magnet while keeping the recondensor device positioned above a maximum liquid helium level. 14. The system of claim 11, wherein the recondensor device is mounted at a spatial separation from an interface of the pulse tube cryocooler, and wherein the recondensor device and the pulse tube cryocooler are connected to one another by the rigid thermal bus bar. 15. The system of claim 11, wherein the pulse tube cryocooler and the recondensor device are connected to the rigid thermal bus bar by a weld, joint or clamp. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the weld comprises a friction weld. 17. The system of claim 11, wherein the pulse tube cryocooler is attached to the vacuum vessel as a permanent part of the superconducting magnet system. 18. A magnetic resonance assembly, comprising;a liquid cryogen vessel;a liquid cryogen cooled superconducting magnet disposed within the liquid cryogen vessel;a closed vacuum vessel surrounding the liquid cryogen vessel and spaced from the liquid cryogen vessel;a cooling means fixably attached to the vacuum vessel;a heat exchange means in thermal contact with the liquid cryogen vessel; anda rigid connecting and separating means for connecting together and providing a spatial separation between the cooling means and the heat exchange means, wherein the rigid connecting and separating means comprises a low thermal loss interface between the cooling means and the heat exchange means, thereby allowing the cooling means and the heat exchange means to be positioned apart from and not in direct contact with one another, which in turn allows the cooling means to be positioned anywhere on the closed vacuum vessel at the top of or above the liquid cryogen cooled superconducting magnet, thereby allowing the overall height of the magnetic resonance assembly to be minimized as compared to positioning the cooling device directly above the heat exchange means. 19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the rigid connecting and separating means is connected to the cooling means and the heat exchange means by a weld, joint, clamp, bolted indium joint, or combinations thereof. 20. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the rigid connecting and separating means comprises at least 99.999 percent by weight of aluminum or 99.99 percent by weight of copper. 21. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the heat exchange means is connected to the liquid cryogen vessel via one or more lines operable for transporting gas, wherein the lines allow cryogen gas to flow upward into the heat exchange means, allow recondensed cryogen gas to flow back into the liquid cryogen vessel, and provide thermal and vibration isolation between the heat exchange means and the liquid cryogen vessel. 22. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the liquid cryogen vessel comprises liquid helium. 23. The assembly of claim 18, further comprising a thermal shield disposed in the space between the closed vacuum vessel and the liquid cryogen vessel. 24. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the cooling means provides cooling to a temperature of about 4 K. 25. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cooling device is not positioned directly above the heat exchanger device.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (12)
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