LIQUID HELIUM RECONDENSER TO REDUCE MRI OPERATING COSTS

液氦再冷凝器可降低 MRI 操作成本

• 批准号: 2863146
• 负责人: MICHAEL J SUPERCZYNSKI
• 金额: $ 10万
• 依托单位: CHESAPEAKE CRYOGENICS, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 1998
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1998-09-28 至 1999-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2863146
• 关键词: biomedical equipment development; chemical condensation; fluid; helium; magnetic resonance imaging; phase change; superconductivity; thermodynamics

The cooling of high-field superconducting magnets adds and additional component to the operating cost of MRI: the cost of replenishing the liquid helium cryogen that is continuously lost to boil-off. Chesapeake Cryogenics proposes to construct a recondenser that will liquefy helium gas, enabling its re-use, and thereby lowering the total operating cost of MRI. The recondenser is based on a new, patented refrigeration scheme called the BOREAS cycle. Its advantages include low vibration, the capability to move much of the mechanism up to 60 feet from the MRI unit, and lower power usage than other refrigerator types. Depending on the MRI model, the proposed recondenser will reduce the necessary frequency of liquid helium replenishment, or eliminate it entirely. A test of prototype BOREAS recondenser on a commercial MRI unit has reduced liquid helium biol-off by a factor of five times. Optimization of the recondenser will achieve still better performance. In the Phase I project Chesapeake Cryogenics will establish the feasibility of the optimized recondenser through design and simulation of the recondenser performance. In Phase II Chesapeake Cryogenics will construct the complete optimized recondenser and demonstrate its performance on a commercial MRI unit. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The proposed liquid helium recondenser will lower the operating cost of high-field MRI. It will also enable new MRI systems that employ superconducting magnets, but do not require the replenishment of any cryogens.

高场超导磁体的冷却增加了 MRI的运营成本的组成部分：补充 液态氦制冷剂不断地蒸发。切萨皮克 低温学建议建造一个再冷凝器， 气体，使其能够重复使用，从而降低总的运营成本， 核磁共振再冷凝器是基于一个新的，专利的制冷方案 称为博瑞斯循环。它的优点包括振动小， 能够将大部分机械装置移动到距MRI装置60英尺的位置， 并且比其他类型的冰箱使用更低的功率。根据核磁共振成像 模型，建议再冷凝器将减少必要的频率， 液氦补充，或者完全消除它。原型测试 商业MRI装置上的BOREAS再冷凝器减少了液氦 biol-off的五倍。再冷凝器的优化将 实现更好的性能。在一期工程切萨皮克 低温学将确定优化再冷凝器的可行性 通过对再冷凝器性能的设计和模拟。在第二阶段 切萨皮克低温公司将建造完整的优化再冷凝器 并在商用MRI设备上演示其性能。 拟定商业应用： 建议的液氦再冷凝器将降低运行成本 高场磁共振成像它还将使新的MRI系统， 超导磁体，但不需要补充任何 冷冻剂。