Reduced-gas-flow electrical leads for superconducting magnet system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500730-B2
Application number	US-201414774243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A device is employed for an apparatus including an electrically conductive coil ( 230 ) which is disposed within a cryostat ( 210 ) and which is configured to produce a magnetic field when an electrical current is passed therethrough. The device dissipates heat from an electrical contact which is disposed within the cryostat and which is configured to supply electrical power to the electrically conductive coil, The device includes: a cooling gas circuit ( 326 ) configured to supply a cooling gas to the electrical contact which is disposed within the cryostat and configured to supply electrical power to the electrically conductive coil; and a heat exchanger ( 308 ) disposed within the cryostat and configured transfer heat from the electrical contact to the cooling gas to raise the temperature of the cooling gas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an electrically conductive coil disposed within a cryostat and configured to produce a magnetic field when an electrical current is passed therethrough;
an electrical interconnection device disposed within the cryostat, the electrical interconnection device comprising:
a tank having a first lower end and a first upper end, the tank having a first gas inlet disposed at the first lower end and a first gas outlet disposed at the first upper end,
a first electrically conductive lead which is configured to be selectively retractable and extendable, wherein in a retracted position the first electrically conductive lead is disposed substantially entirely outside the tank and in an extended position the first electrically conductive lead extends at least partially into the tank,
a second electrically conductive lead at least partially disposed within the tank and connected to the electrically conductive coil,
a first electrical contact disposed within the tank and being configured to connect the first and second electrically conductive leads together when the first electrically conductive lead is in the extended position, and
a first heat exchanger having a second lower end and a second upper end, the first heat exchanger disposed adjacent the first electrical contact within the tank and having a second gas inlet disposed at the second lower end and a second gas outlet disposed at the second upper end,

wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to receive a gas at the second gas inlet from the second electrically conductive lead and to output the gas at the second gas outlet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the first electrically conductive lead is in the extended position, it extends through the first gas outlet.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the cryostat has an outer vacuum container, and the upper end of the tank is adjacent to the outer vacuum container.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a heat sink disposed on the outer vacuum container, outside the tank.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical interconnection device further comprises:
a third electrically conductive lead configured to be selectively retractable and extendable, in a retracted position to be disposed substantially entirely outside the tank and in an extended position to extend at least partially into the tank;
a fourth electrically conductive lead at least partially disposed within the tank and connected to the electrically conductive coil; and
a second electrical contact disposed within the tank and being configured to connect the third and fourth electrically conductive leads together when the third electrically conductive lead is in the extended position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first heat exchanger is disposed adjacent the second electrical contact and has a third gas inlet disposed at the first lower end, wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to receive the gas at the third gas inlet from the fourth electrically conductive lead.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a second heat exchanger having a third lower end and a third upper end, the second heat exchanger disposed adjacent the second electrical contact within the tank and having a fourth gas inlet disposed at the third lower end and a fourth gas outlet disposed at the third upper end, wherein the second heat exchanger is configured to receive the gas at the fourth gas inlet from the fourth electrically conductive lead and to output the gas at the fourth gas outlet.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first electrically conductive lead includes a channel configured to pass the gas therethrough.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second electrically conductive lead includes a channel configured to pass the gas therethrough.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a manually-controlled valve configured to control a flow of the gas.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a processor-controlled valve configured to automatically adjust a flow of the gas via a feedback loop using one or more signals from one or more temperature sensors.

12. A method, comprising:
extending a first electrically conductive lead into a tank disposed in a cryostat so as to make an electrical connection with a second electrically conductive lead which is at least partially disposed within the tank, wherein the second electrically conductive lead is connected to an electrically conductive coil wherein the electrically deductive coil is disposed within the cryostat, wherein the electrically conductive coil is configured to produce a magnetic field when an electrical current is passed therethrough;
providing a cooling gas to a gas inlet of the tank, wherein the gas inlet is disposed at a lower portion of the tank;
passing the cooling gas through a heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is arranged within the tank so as to transfer heat from an electrical connection between the first and second electrically conductive leads to the cooling gas to convert the cooling gas to a heated gas; and
dispensing the heated gas from a gas outlet of the tank, wherein the gas outlet is disposed at an upper portion of the tank.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising breaking the electrical connection when the magnetic field has a selected field strength.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising retracting the first electrically conductive lead from the tank.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrically conductive coil has a temperature of less than 10° K, while the first electrically conductive lead has a temperature of at least 20° K.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrically conductive coil has a temperature of less than 5° K, while the first electrically conductive lead has a temperature of at least 40° K.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein dispensing the heated gas from the gas outlet comprises dispensing the heated gas via an aperture provided in the first electrically conductive lead, wherein the heated gas flows through the first electrically conductive lead.

18. A device for dissipating heat from an electrical contact which is disposed within a cryostat and which is configured to supply electrical power to an electrically conductive coil, the device comprising:
a cooling gas conduit configured to supply a cooling gas to the electrical contact, wherein the electrical contact is disposed within the cryostat and configured to supply electrical power to an electrically conductive coil;
a heat exchanger disposed within the cryostat, wherein the heat exchanger is configured transfer heat from the electrical contact to the cooling gas to raise a temperature of the cooling gas; and
a tank having a first lower end and a first upper end, the tank having a first gas inlet disposed at the first lower end and a first gas outlet disposed at the first upper end,
wherein the electrical contact and the heat exchanger are disposed within the tank.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the heat exchanger has a second lower end and a second upper end,
wherein the heat exchanger is disposed adjacent the electrical contact within the tank and has a second gas inlet disposed at the second lower end and a second gas outlet disposed at the second upper end,
wherein the heat exchanger is configured to receive the cooling gas at the second gas inlet from the second electrically conductive lead and to output the cooling gas at the second gas outlet.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Jonas Philip Alexander
• Pfleiderer Glen George
• Hintz Ronald Ellsworth
• Menteur Philippe Abel

Classifications

• G01R33/30

  Sample handling arrangements, e.g. sample cells, spinning mechanisms · CPC title

• G01R33/385

  using gradient magnetic field coils · 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

• H01F6/04

  Cooling · CPC title