General Electric Company

Magnetek, Inc.

William F Wirth

John Norton Park

Robert Louis Steigerwald

Thomas G McFarland

Qiming Li

Luis Jose Garces

Juan Antonio Sabate

Peter B Roemer

Michael Joseph Schutten

Otward M Mueller

Richard S Zhang

Jonathan Richard Schmidt

Robert Michael Vavrek

Paul Michael Szczesny

Vlatko Vlatkovic

Gerald K Flakas

Ljubisa Dragolijub Stevanovic

A power converter includes at least two power conversion sections operating in parallel. The power converter receives a variable input power and generates an AC output voltage. When the power source is generating enough power to supply a DC voltage to the power converter greater than or equal to the peak magnitude of the desired AC voltage output, each power conversion section operates in parallel, converting the DC voltage to the desired AC voltage output. When the power generated by the variable power source results in a DC voltage having a magnitude less than the peak magnitude of the desired AC voltage output, the power conversion sections operate in series. One power conversion section operates as a boost converter to boost the DC voltage level to a suitable level for the second power conversion section, which generates the desired AC output voltage.

Method and apparatus for boosting DC bus voltage

A gradient amplifier arrangement is described that comprises a gradient amplifier power stage. The device may be employed to provide a current to a gradient coil, as in a MRI system. The circuitry disclosed includes a series coupling of a first bridge amplifier operating at a first voltage, a second bridge amplifier operating at a second voltage, a third bridge amplifier operating at a third voltage, and a gradient amplifier control stage. The amplifiers may provide output voltages at different levels, and may be switched at different times and frequencies to provide a range of output voltage and current levels.

High fidelity, high power switched amplifier

An optimal phase-shifted control for a series resonant converter involves instantaneous monitoring of state variables (resonant capacitor voltage resonant inductor current and output voltage) and implementation of a control law for providing a quasi-squarewave-with-maximum-coasting (QSWMC) mode of operation. The control law uses the instantaneous resonant inductor current, the instantaneous resonant capacitor voltage and the output voltage to determine the optimal time to perform switching events in order to operate on a desired control trajectory. The QSWMC converter operates at a minimized frequency in a super-resonant mode with zero-voltage switching, minimized electrical stresses, and reduced electromagnetic interference due to nearly sinusoidal resonant tank currents.

Optimal phase-shifted control for a series resonant converter

A plurality of low-voltage, series-connected input dc-dc converters provide the input to a low-frequency, high-voltage dc-ac output bridge converter suitable for driving a gradient coil in an MRI system. The relatively low-voltage, series-connected dc-dc converters, or choppers, control the gradient coil current, while the dc-ac converter bridge steers the current to the proper coil polarity. A binary weighting of the voltage ratings of the input choppers results in the lowest voltage unit doing most of the high-frequency switching. Such an amplifier configuration is modular and allows for different gradient coil requirements to be met with a common approach by applying a predetermined number of choppers and bridges.

High-efficiency switching power amplifier

A partial-voltage buck regulator controls a high-voltage bus to a full-bridge circuit such that overall switching losses are reduced and distributed. Low-voltage buck regulator devices are PWM-switched when high output voltage is needed, and high-voltage bridge devices are PWM-switched when low output voltage is needed. A variable input power supply, which may be operated in a high power factor mode, can adjust the input bus voltages to achieve optimum performance for a given magnetic resonance imaging sequence.

Switching amplifier for generating continuous arbitrary waveforms for

An amplification device is provided for driving a gradient coil in an MR system, wherein the gradient coil is required to generate a rapidly changing gradient magnetic field during a first time period, and a substantially constant field during an immediately following second time period. The device includes a adjustable bus, for providing first and second voltage levels, and a switching or PWM amplifier. A switch is coupled between the bus and the switching amplifier for applying the first voltage to the amplifier during the first time period, and the second voltage to the amplifier during the second time period. The switching amplifier comprises an inverter for generating a PWM voltage in response to its input, and an LC filter for converting the PWM wave into a DC voltage. The switching amplifier generates a substantially higher coil driving voltage during the first period, in response to the first voltage level, than during the second period in response to the second voltage level. The switching amplifier may have a substantially higher frequency of operation during the second period than during the first period, so that the LC filter is much more effective in removing a distorting ripple component during such second time period, when the gradient coil is being used to acquire MR data.

Switching gradient amplifier with adjustable DC bus voltage

A gradient amplifier for an MRI system includes a low voltage amplifier and high voltage amplifier connected in series circuit with a gradient coil. A gradient current command pulse causes the low voltage amplifier to produce the desired coil current and the same command is differentiated to provide a voltage command for the high voltage amplifier which causes it to deliver power to rapidly build the gradient field at the beginning of the pulse and to remove power at the conclusion of the pulse. Two embodiments disclose different strategies for maintaining the high voltage power supply fully charged throughout a scan.

Non-resonant gradient field accelerator

An x-ray tube rotor controller uses the main high voltage inverters for acceleration. The rotor controller includes a DC voltage source, and a rotary anode drive circuit including a rotary anode motor designed as an induction motor. A first inverter circuit has a full bridge arrangement for accelerating the anode using a first switch to connect the induction motor to the full bridge output, and also generates high voltage for the x-ray tube. Once the anode is up to operating speed, the first switch is disconnected from the rotor causing the rotor to coast. Alternatively, a second small inverter may be employed for maintaining the rotor at speed during x-ray exposure, rather than allowing the rotor to coast. In such an instance, the first switch is disconnected from the rotor when the motor reaches a rated anode speed, and a second switch then connects the motor to the second inverter to maintain the rated anode speed. Finally, if the x-ray generator has separate anode and cathode inverters, a third small two-phase inverter may be employed in the system for driving the second phase of the anode driver motor.

X-ray tube rotor controller using the main high voltage inverters for

A gradient amplifier for use in magnetic resonance imaging equipment employs a low voltage DC power supply connected in series between a pair of higher voltage DC power supplies, the latter supplies serving to provide increased power for rapid gradient switching and the former supply providing correction current to produce the desired voltage output. The high voltage DC power supplies preferably comprise multiple DC units which can be combined to provide finer steps of control prior to correction by the lower voltage supply. The low voltage DC power supply preferably comprise one or more linear amplifiers connected in series, or one or more switchmode amplifiers connected in series. The DC power supplies are controlled in an open loop manner from a gradient signal that designates the desired current for the gradient coil and the amplifiers are operated in a closed loop responding to to a feedback signal from the gradient coil.

Split gradient amplifier for an MRI system

An x-ray tube rotor controller uses the main high voltage inverters for acceleration and speed maintenance. The rotor controller includes a DC voltage source, and a rotary anode drive circuit including a rotary anode motor designed as a two-winding induction motor. The rotor controller comprises first and second inverter circuits which may be either half bridge or full bridge arrangements, the first and second inverter circuits for accelerating the anode, and further for generating high voltage for the x-ray tube. Electronic switching means allow for instantaneous electronic switching of the output of the first and second inverter circuits between the high voltage power supply and the anode motor. A phase switching capacitor may be used to provide the other phase of the motor.

An X-ray imaging apparatus has a vacuum tube with an envelope that contains an anode, a cathode and a filament. A motor has a rotor mechanically connected to the anode inside the envelope and a stator on the exterior of the envelope. The vacuum tube and the motor are enclosed in an electrically conductive casing which are grounded. A grounded shield of a conductive material is placed between the stator and the envelope to suppress high voltage discharges within the envelope from producing currents in a winding of the stator. Low pass filters are placed in series with each conductor between the vacuum tube and a power supply to suppress radio frequency signals produced by the high voltage discharges from being carried over the conductors.

X-ray tube transient noise suppression system

An X-ray imaging system includes an vacuum tube, which is biased by a high voltage power supply connected to the tube by two shielded cables. The cables collectively have a plurality of conductors which are coupled at one end to the high voltage power supply. The other end of each conductor is coupled to a component of the vacuum tube by a separate inductor. During a voltage breakdown of the vacuum tube, the inductors depress electrical current flow between the anode and the cathode of the tube to reduce the erosion of tube components which results from the discharge. This current is in part due to the energy stored in the cable, which is not depressed by conventional current limiting circuits in the high voltage power supply. Voltage limiting devices connected to the tube prevent ringing in the cables from generating excessively high voltage levels.

Inductive X-ray tube high voltage transient suppression

A gate drive circuit for an insulated gate bipolar transistor initially drives the gate to a first voltage potential which causes the transistor to partially turn on. A sensor detects when the transistor saturates, at which point the gate drive voltage is increased to increase the conductivity of the transistor and reduce its saturation voltage drop. If, however, a load coupled to the transistor is short circuited, the transistor will never reach saturation and will remain partially turned on at a point where it has increased short circuit current handling capability. In addition, once the transistor has been fully turned on, should a short circuit load condition occur, the transistor will drop out of saturation causing the drive circuit to reduce the gate voltage to increase the short circuit current handling capability of the transistor.

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Sullivan, WI, United States of America

William F Wirth