Systems and methods for ramping down magnetic resonance magnet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11874351-B2
Application number	US-202217804303-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2022
Priority date	Jul 3, 2017
Publication date	Jan 16, 2024
Grant date	Jan 16, 2024

Abstract

A magnetic resonance system may include a magnetic resonance magnet and a storage container configured to accommodate the magnetic resonance magnet. The storage container may also contain an endothermic liquid. The magnetic resonance system may further include a ramping-down device configured to trigger releasing electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet. The first ramping-down device may include an electric energy consumption device configured to consume at least a portion of the released electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic resonance system, comprising:
a magnetic resonance magnet;
a storage container configured to contain the magnetic resonance magnet;
a first ramping-down device configured to ramping down the magnetic resonance magnet; and
a second ramping-down device configured to ramping down the magnetic resonance magnet, wherein a ramping down speed of the second ramping-down device is different from that of the first ramping-down device.

2. The magnetic resonance system of claim 1 , wherein the first ramping-down device is configured to trigger releasing electric energy from the magnetic resonance magnet, and a ramping down speed of the second ramping-down device is faster than that of the first ramping-down device.

3. The magnetic resonance system of claim 2 , wherein the first ramping-down device includes an electric energy consumption device configured to consume at least a portion of the electric energy released by the magnetic resonance magnet.

4. The magnetic resonance system of claim 3 , the electric energy consumption device is placed in a solid paraffin.

5. The magnetic resonance system of claim 3 , wherein the first ramping-down device further includes:
a superconductor electrically coupled to the magnetic resonance magnet, the electric energy consumption device being electrically connected to the superconductor; and
a first heater configured to heat the superconductor, wherein
when the first heater heats the superconductor, the superconductor is disconnected or loses a superconduct condition, and the magnetic resonance magnet releases the electric energy, and
the electric energy consumption device consumes the electric energy released by the magnetic resonance magnet.

6. The magnetic resonance system of claim 5 , wherein the first heater and the superconductor are within the storage container.

7. The magnetic resonance system of claim 5 , wherein a resistance value of the electric energy consumption device is less than a resistance value of the magnetic resonance magnet in a non-superconducting state.

8. The magnetic resonance system of claim 5 , wherein a resistance value of the electric energy consumption device is less than a resistance value of the superconductor in a non-superconducting state.

9. The magnetic resonance system of claim 3 , wherein the first ramping-down device further includes a superconducting switch, wherein
the superconducting switch is a mechanical switch and connected to the magnetic resonance magnet,
the electric energy consumption device is connected to the superconducting switch, and
the electric energy consumption device is configured to consume the electric energy released by the magnetic resonance magnet when the superconducting switch is turned off.

10. The magnetic resonance system of claim 1 , wherein the storage container further contains an endothermic liquid; and
the second ramping-down device includes a second heater inside the storage container.

11. The magnetic resonance system of claim 10 , wherein the second ramping-down device further includes:
a ramping-down switch group; and
a power source connecting to the ramping-down switch group and the second heater in series to form a circuit, wherein
when the ramping-down switch group is turned on, the power source supplies power to the second heater, and
the second heater generates heat.

12. The magnetic resonance system of claim 11 , wherein the ramping-down switch group includes at least two switches installed at different positions in an MRI scanning room or an MRI operation room.

13. The magnetic resonance system of claim 10 , wherein the magnetic resonance magnet is ramped down by the second ramping-down device by:
heating, by the second heater, the magnetic resonance magnet;
releasing, by the magnetic resonance magnet, energy when the magnetic resonance magnet is heated by the second heater; and
absorbing, by the endothermic liquid, heat caused by the released energy from the magnetic resonance magnet.

14. A method for ramping down a magnetic resonance magnet contained in a storage container, the method comprising:
obtaining an environmental condition related to the magnetic resonance magnet; and
selecting, from a first mode and a second mode, a target mode for ramping down the magnetic resonance magnet based on the environmental condition related to the magnetic resonance magnet, wherein a ramping down speed of the second mode is different from that of the first mode.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the selecting, from the first mode and the second mode, the target mode for ramping down the magnetic resonance magnet based on the environmental condition related to the magnetic resonance magnet includes:
in response to determining that the environmental condition related to the magnetic resonance magnet satisfies a first condition, ramping down the magnetic resonance magnet in the first mode; or
in response to determining that the environmental condition related to the magnetic resonance magnet satisfies a second condition, ramping down the magnetic resonance magnet in the second mode.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first condition includes ramping down the magnetic resonance magnet within a first time period and the second condition includes ramping down the magnetic resonance magnet within a second time period.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein a ramping down speed of the second mode is faster than that of the first mode, and the second time period is less than the first time period.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first mode includes:
heating, by a first heater, a superconductor electrically coupled to the magnetic resonance magnet, wherein when the first heater heats the superconductor, the superconductor is disconnected to the magnetic resonance magnet or the superconductor loses a superconduct condition; and
consuming electric energy from the magnetic resonance magnet, by an electric energy consumption device residing outside the storage container, when the superconductor is disconnected to the magnetic resonance magnet or the superconductor loses the superconduct condition, thereby ramping down the magnetic resonance magnet.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second mode includes:
heating, by a second heater, the magnetic resonance magnet, the second heater being inside the storage container;
releasing, by the magnetic resonance magnet, energy when the magnetic resonance magnet is being heated by the second heater; and
absorbing, by the endothermic liquid contained in the storage container, heat caused by the released energy from the magnetic resonance magnet.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the environmental condition is obtained by one or more sensors in an MRI scanning room or an MRI operation room.

Assignees

• Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare Co Ltd

Inventors

• Liu Jianfeng

Classifications

• G01R33/3815 Primary

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

• C08G63/79

  Interfacial processes, i.e. processes involving a reaction at the interface of two non-miscible liquids · CPC title

• H01F6/006

  Supplying energising or de-energising current; Flux pumps · CPC title

• H01F6/008

  Electric circuit arrangements for energising superconductive electromagnets · 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