Magnetic resonance imaging system and method for rapid shutdown and recharge of a superconducting magnet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11428764-B2
Application number	US-202117162051-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2021
Priority date	Jan 29, 2021
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes a set of magnet coils for generating a magnetic field. The set of magnet coils are composed of a superconducting material. The system further includes a mechanical cryocooler in thermal contact with the set of magnet coils and operable to reduce and maintain a temperature of the set of magnet coils below a transition temperature of the superconducting material, and an energy storage device coupled to the set of magnet coils. The energy storage device may be capable of receiving and storing energy dissipated from the set of magnet coils during rapid shutdown of the set of magnet coils. The system may also include a controller coupled to the energy storage device. The controller may be programmed to recharge the set of magnet coils using the energy stored in the energy storage device during the rapid shutdown of the set of magnet coils.

First claim

We claim:

1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:
a set of magnet coils for generating a magnetic field, wherein the set of magnet coils are composed of a superconducting material;
a mechanical cryocooler in thermal contact with the set of magnet coils and operable to reduce and maintain a temperature of the set of magnet coils below a transition temperature of the superconducting material; and
an energy storage device coupled to the set of magnet coils and configured to receive and store energy dissipated from the set of magnet coils during a rapid shutdown of the set of magnet coils;
wherein the energy storage device is an inductive load and the inductive load is a superconducting system; and
wherein the superconducting system is thermally coupled to the mechanical cryocooler and the mechanical cryocooler is configured to reduce and maintain a temperature of the superconducting system.

2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller coupled to the energy storage device and programmed to recharge the set of magnet coils using the energy stored in the energy storage device during the rapid shutdown of the set of magnet coils.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is further programmed to control a rate of energy exchange between the energy storage device and the set of magnet coils.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is further programmed to control the rate of energy exchange between the energy storage device and the set of magnet coils based on a predetermined threshold for a temperature of the set of magnet coils.

5. The system according to claim 2 , further comprising a resistive load coupled to the set of magnet coils and the energy storage device, the resistive load configured to receive energy dissipated from the set of magnet coils during a rapid shutdown of the set of magnet coils and the energy storage device is further configured to be charged using thermal energy dissipated from the resistive load.

Assignees

• Synaptive Medical Inc

Inventors

• Stainsby Jeff Alan
• Harris Chad Tyler
• Panther Alexander Gyles

Classifications

• H01F6/003

  Methods and means for discharging superconductive storage (superconducting alloys C22C; static memories with superconducting elements G11C11/44; superconducting circuit breakers with contacts H01H33/004; superconducting switches for low power H03K17/92; superconducting material H10N60/00; power cryotons H10N60/355) · CPC title

• G01R33/3815 Primary

  with superconducting coils, e.g. power supply therefor · CPC title

• G01R33/3804

  Additional hardware for cooling or heating of the magnet assembly, for housing a cooled or heated part of the magnet assembly or for temperature control of the magnet assembly · CPC title

• G01R33/288

  Provisions within MR facilities for enhancing safety during MR, e.g. reduction of the specific absorption rate [SAR], detection of ferromagnetic objects in the scanner room · CPC title

• H01F6/04

  Cooling · CPC title