Cryogenic cooling system and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional MRI systems with superconducting magnets face high operational costs due to constant electric current requirements, cumbersome and expensive helium cooling systems, and complex installation and maintenance needs, along with challenges in heat management and cryogen boil-off.
Innovation Solution
A cryogenic cooling system utilizing a cylindrical housing with a gas chamber and reciprocating displacer to compress and expand refrigerant gas, which is circulated through a tubing unit to absorb heat loads from superconducting units, reducing the need for large helium volumes and minimizing boil-off.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a large vessel with thousands of liters of liquid helium is used for immersion cooling, then the superconducting magnets can be maintained at cryogenic temperature, but the system becomes expensive to manufacture, cumbersome to transport and install, and requires frequent refilling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from the traditional large liquid helium bath and implements it through a compact closed-cycle cryocooler system. The cryocooler removes the need for thousands of liters of liquid helium, eliminating the large vessel requirement while maintaining cryogenic temperatures through mechanical cooling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cooling parameter from liquid phase immersion cooling to gas phase closed-cycle cooling. By using a closed-cycle cryocooler that circulates refrigerant gas, the system maintains cryogenic temperatures without requiring large volumes of liquid helium, thereby reducing system complexity and installation difficulty
2Reliability
If liquid helium is constantly supplied to maintain superconducting state, then the magnetic field can be continuously produced, but the operational cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous cooling through a closed-cycle cryocooler system that continuously circulates refrigerant gas. This maintains the superconducting state and magnetic field production without the need for constant liquid helium replenishment, thereby reducing operational costs while ensuring continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The closed-cycle cryocooler system is self-contained and recirculates its own refrigerant, eliminating the need for external liquid helium supply infrastructure. The system serves itself by continuously cooling the superconducting magnets through internal refrigerant circulation, reducing both operational cost and complexity
3Loss of energy
If the superconducting magnet is cooled using conventional liquid helium immersion, then heat loads can be removed, but the system requires tight thermal budget control to prevent boil-off
Solution Approach 1:
The closed-cycle cryocooler system incorporates feedback control mechanisms that automatically adjust cooling capacity based on thermal loads. This eliminates the need for manual thermal budget management and prevents boil-off by dynamically balancing heat removal with the actual thermal demands on the superconducting magnets
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces the manufacturing, installation, and operational costs of MRI systems, minimizes helium consumption, and maintains superconducting units at cryogenic temperatures with improved heat management, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of MRI systems.
Implementation Method 1
the displacer is reciprocatingly driven between the first end and the second end of the cylindrical housing to compress or expand the refrigerant gas in the gas chamber
Implementation Method 2
the tubing unit is configured to circulate the refrigerant gas received from the cylindrical housing through the tubing unit to absorb the at least one heat load imposed on the at least one superconducting unit
Data Source
AI summary
A cryogenic cooling system (CCS) includes a cylindrical housing having a first end and a second end. Also, the CCS includes a displacer disposed within the cylindrical housing and reciprocatingly driven between the first end and the second end of the cylindrical housing to compress or expand a refrigerant gas in a gas chamber. Further, the CCS includes a tubing unit coupled to the second end of the cylindrical housing and disposed adjacent to the at least one superconducting unit, wherein the tubing unit is configured to circulate the refrigerant gas received from the cylindrical housing through the tubing unit to absorb the at least one heat load imposed on the at least one superconducting unit to generate heated refrigerant gas, and convey the heated refrigerant gas to the gas chamber of the cylindrical housing to reduce or maintain a temperature of the at least one superconducting unit.