15 Tesla Magnet for Micro MRI and Magenetic Levitation

这项计划的目标是为一种两用的15特斯拉/50毫米温孔超导核磁共振磁体充电，以延长抗磁材料的悬浮时间，并支持高场磁共振成像应用。据我们所知，这将是第一个能够悬浮生物样品的导电磁铁。有电阻磁铁可用，但运营成本约为13,000美元/天的水电费用。拟议中的磁体每天的制冷剂消耗量约为25美元。此外，世界上还没有其他仪器具有MRI和悬浮的双重能力。该仪器将放置在明尼苏达大学双城校区的磁共振跨学科应用中心(CIA-MR)。CIA-MR工作人员目前维护自制的1.5T/680 mm和5.0T/40 mm磁共振系统，支持生物医学、工程和物理科学研究应用。该磁体类似于高场核磁共振波谱磁体，然而，磁体设计在磁悬浮所必需的低温恒温器顶部附近结合了非常强的磁场梯度(约100T/m)。当磁力抵消重力，从而模拟轨道自由落体时，悬浮就发生了。磁体的几何中心具有足够的场均匀度，适用于磁共振微成像应用。该仪器将提供一个独特的环境，在模拟微重力环境中处理有机和无机材料，并研究生物材料，包括生物和非生物。磁铁的悬浮方面将被一个学术和工业科学家联盟用于实施新型材料；熔融氧化物材料的无容器处理；细胞生长和基因表达的测量；以及工程组织的生长。磁共振微成像的应用将集中在中空纤维生物反应器(HFBR)的微结构和细胞代谢，骨科植入物周围的骨生长和重塑，以及肝细胞球体内冷冻保护剂运输的测量。该仪器将提供给来自明尼苏达大学(明尼阿波利斯，明尼苏达州)、梅奥诊所(罗切斯特，明尼苏达州)、明尼苏达医学研究基金会(明尼阿波利斯)和无容器研究公司(伊利诺伊州埃文斯顿)的科学家联盟。美国国立卫生研究院资助的拨款将消耗大约80%的磁铁使用。该仪器还将整合到明尼苏达大学教授的一些研究生和本科生科学和工程课程中。其目标是促进学生、教师和工业合作伙伴在高磁场/高磁场梯度系统中进行动手实验。

The goal of this proposal is to charge a dual-purpose 15 Tesla/50mm warm-bore superconductive NMR magnet to levitate diamagnetic materials for extended times and support high field MR microscopy imaging applications. To the best of our knowledge this will be the first conductive magnet capable of levitating biological samples. There are resistive magnets available, however, operating costs are on the order of $13,000/day for electricity and water. The proposed magnet will cost about $25/day in cryogen consumption. Furthermore, there is no other instrument in the world with the dual capability of MRI and levitation. This instrument will reside at the Center for Interdisciplinary Applications for Magnetic Resonance (CIA-MR) at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus. The CIA-MR staff presently maintains home-built 1.5 T/680 mm and 5.0 T/ 40 mm MRI systems that support biomedical, engineering and physical science research applications. The proposed magnet is similar to high-field NMR spectroscopic magnets, however, the magnet design incorporates a very strong field gradient (approximately 100 T/m) near the top of the cryostat which is necessary for magnetic levitation. Levitation occurs when the magnetic force counterbalances the gravitational force and thus simulates orbital freefall. The geometric center of the magnet has sufficient field homogeneity for MR microimaging applications. This instrument will provide a unique environment to process organic and inorganic materials and investigate biological materials, living and non-living, in a simulated microgravity environment. The levitation aspect of the magnet will e used by a consortium of academic and industrial scientists for the implementation of new types of materials; containerless processing of molten oxide materials; measurement of cell growth and gene expression; and growth of engineered tissues. MR micro imaging applications will focus on hollow fiber bioreactor (HFBR) microstructure and cell metabolism, bone growth and remodeling around orthopedic implants and measurement of cryoprotectant transport in hepatocyte spheroids. This instrument will be available to a consortium of scientists form the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN), Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), Minnesota Medial Research Foundation (Minneapolis) and Containerless Research, Inc (Evanston, IL). NIH funded grant swill consume approximately 80% of magnet use. This instrument will also integrate into a number of graduate and undergraduate science and engineering courses taught at the University of Minnesota. The goal is to promote hands-on experiments in a high magnetic field/high magnetic field gradient system for students, faculty and industrial partners.