Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Glen George Pfleiderer

Philip Alexander Jonas

Philippe Abel Menteur

Robert Adolph Ackermann

Matthew Voss

Johannes Adrianus Overweg

Gerardus Bernardus Jozef Mulder

Viktor Mokhnatyuk

Johannes Ferdinand Van Der Koijk

Michael Leslie Allitt

Xianrui Huang

Peter Forthmann

John Arthur Urbahn

Alexander Akhmetov

Joshua Kent Hilderbrand

Ronald E Hintz

Xiandrui Huang

Ronald Ellsworth Hintz

Gregg Orville Kimball

Hong Hu

Joshua Kent Hildebrand

A superconducting magnet () includes a cryogenic container () containing a superconducting magnet winding (). A sealed electrical feedthrough () passes through the cryogenic container. A contactor () inside the cryogenic container has an actuator () and feedthrough-side and magnet-side electrical terminals (). A high temperature superconductor (HTS) lead () also disposed in the cryogenic container has a first end () electrically connected with the magnet-side electrical terminal of the contactor and a second end () electrically connected to the superconducting magnet winding. A first stage thermal station () thermally connected with the first end of the HTS lead has a temperature (T) lower than the critical temperature (TC,HTS) of the HTS lead. A second stage thermal station () thermally connected with the second end of the HTS lead has a temperature (T) lower than a critical temperature (TC) of the superconducting magnet winding ().

Lead and thermal disconnect for ramping of an MRI or other superconducting magnet

A superconducting magnet includes a liquid helium reservoir (), superconducting magnet windings () disposed in the liquid helium reservoir, and a vacuum jacket () surrounding the liquid helium reservoir. A cold head () passes through the vacuum jacket. The cold head has a warm end () welded to an outer wall () of the vacuum jacket and a cold station () disposed in the liquid helium reservoir. A heat exchanger () is disposed inside the vacuum jacket and secured to or integral with the cold head. The heat exchanger includes a fluid passage () having an inlet () in fluid communication with the liquid helium reservoir and having an outlet () in fluid communication with ambient air. While the cold head is turned off, gas helium flows from the liquid helium reservoir to ambient air via the heat exchanger, thereby cooling the non-operating cold head.

Superconducting magnet with cold head thermal path cooled by heat exchanger

An apparatus () includes: an outer shell (); an inner vessel () disposed within the outer shell; a cold head () having a first stage () disposed within the outer shell, and having a second stage () for contacting an interior of the inner vessel; a vent () extending from the interior of the inner vessel to the exterior of the outer shell; first and second heat exchangers (); a first thermal shield () disposed between the inner vessel and the outer shell; and a second thermal shield () disposed between the inner vessel and the first thermal shield. The first thermal shield is thermally connected to the first stage of the cold head and the first heat exchanger and is thermally isolated from the inner vessel and outer shell. The second thermal shield is thermally connected to the second heat exchanger and is thermally isolated from the inner vessel, outer shell, first thermal shield, and cold head.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus and cryostat for MRI apparatus

An augmented reality device used in a medical imaging laboratory housing a medical imaging device () includes a headset (), cameras () mounted in the medical imaging laboratory, and directional sensors () mounted on the headset. The cameras generate a panorama image (). Data collected by the directional sensors is processed to determine the viewing direction (). The panorama image and the determined viewing direction are processed to generate an augmented patient view image () in which the medical imaging device is removed, replaced, or made partially transparent, the augmented image is presented on a display () of the headset. The directional sensors may include a headset camera () that provides a patient view image (), which is augmented by removing or making partially transparent any portion of the medical imaging device in the patient view image by substituting corresponding portions of the panorama image.

Augmented display device for use in a medical imaging laboratory

An apparatus includes an electrically conductive coil which produces a magnetic field when an electrical current passes therethrough; a selectively activated persistent current switch connected across the electrically conductive coil; a cryostat having the electrically conductive coil and the persistent current switch disposed therein; an energy dump; at least one sensor which detects an operating parameter of the apparatus and outputs at least one sensor signal in response thereto; and a magnet controller. The magnet controller receives the sensor signal(s) and in response thereto detects whether an operating fault (e.g. a power loss to the compressor of a cryocooler) exists in the apparatus, and when an operating fault is detected, connects the energy dump unit across the electrically conductive coil to transfer energy from the electrically conductive coil to the energy dump unit. The energy dump unit disperses the energy outside of the cryostat.

System and method for automatically ramping down a superconducting persistent magnet

A superconducting magnet system, including a cryostat, and a ride-through system for the superconducting magnet system include: one or more gravity-fed cooling tubes configured to have therein a cryogenic fluid; a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the one or more gravity-fed cooling tubes to a cryocooler; a storage device having an input connected to the first heat exchanger and configured to receive and store a boiled-off gas from the first heat exchanger; and a thermal regenerator having an input connected to the output of the storage device.

Superconducting magnet system including thermally efficient ride-through system and method of cooling superconducting magnet system

An apparatus including a persistent current switch of a superconducting material which is electrically superconducting at a superconducting temperature and electrically resistive at a resistive mode temperature which is greater than the superconducting temperature. The apparatus further includes a first heat exchange element; a convective heat dissipation loop thermally coupling the persistent current switch to the first heat exchange element; a second heat exchange element spaced apart from the first heat exchange element; and a thermally conductive link thermally coupling the persistent current switch to the second heat exchange element. The first heat exchange element is disposed above the persistent current switch. The thermally conductive link may have a greater thermal conductivity at the superconducting temperature than at a second temperature which is greater than the superconducting temperature.

Low-loss persistent current switch with heat transfer arrangement

A device is employed for an apparatus including an electrically conductive coil () which is disposed within a cryostat () 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 () 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 () disposed within the cryostat and configured transfer heat from the electrical contact to the cooling gas to raise the temperature of the cooling gas.

Reduced-gas-flow electrical leads for superconducting magnet system

A cryogenic system includes a superconducting magnet () in a reservoir of liquid helium (LH). Helium vapor (VH) rises and contacts a recondenser surface (&#x2033;) on which the helium vapor (VH) condenses into liquid helium and flows by gravity off a lower edge of the recondenser surface. A plurality of fins () extend from the recondenser surface or a plurality of grooves (&#x2033;) are cut into the recondenser surface to disrupt the film thickness and to provide a path by which droplets of the liquid helium leave the recondenser surface without travelling a full vertical length of the recondenser ().

Horizontal finned heat exchanger for cryogenic recondensing refrigeration

A method can be used to perform an operation on a system that includes an assembly and a vessel that includes a wall and a thermal shield. The method can include breaking a thermal connection between the assembly and the thermal shield, separating the assembly and a surface within the vessel from each other, or any combination thereof. The method can also include changing a pressure with the vessel to be closer to atmospheric pressure, heating the assembly, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the method can be performed while keeping a cryogenic region substantially sealed, keeping a superconducting magnet energized, or a combination thereof. In a particular embodiment, the method can be used when servicing the assembly, such as a cryocooler.

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Voorheesville, NY, United States of America

Glen George Pfleiderer