Modular Detector Electronic Assembly Cooling System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for medical imaging apparatuses, particularly those with extended axial field of view (aFOV), face challenges in efficiently transferring heat from multiple detector assemblies while minimizing noise and space constraints.
Innovation Solution
The development of modular, scalable fluid-cooling systems that integrate chill plates within detector electronic assemblies (DEAs) to prioritize cooling of detector elements, with a cascading coolant flow path that efficiently transfers heat from both detector and electronic components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If blown cooling air systems are used for extended aFOV imaging systems, then cooling capacity is increased, but noise and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into modular detector electronic assemblies (DEAs), each with integrated cooling channels. This segmentation allows the cooling function to be distributed across multiple identical modules, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining the capacity to cool extended aFOV imaging systems with multiple detector rows and columns.
Solution Approach 2:
Cooling channels are integrated within the detector electronic assembly housing, nesting the cooling function inside the detector module itself. This eliminates the need for separate external cooling systems and reduces overall device complexity while maintaining effective cooling capacity.
2Loss of energy
If multiple water-to-air heat exchangers with fans are added to cool extended aFOV systems, then heat removal efficiency is improved, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses fluid-cooled channels with liquid coolant circulating through the detector electronic assemblies. This hydraulic cooling approach replaces noisy air-based cooling systems (fans and blowers) while maintaining efficient heat removal through liquid-to-liquid heat exchangers located outside the gantry.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat exchangers and fans are extracted from the gantry interior and placed in external locations. This removes the noise-generating components from the patient tunnel area while maintaining the heat removal function, thus reducing noise without compromising cooling efficiency.
3Loss of energy
If larger and/or more heat exchangers are added to the gantry, then heat removal capacity is increased, but space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Cooling channels are nested within the detector electronic assembly housing structure. This integrates the heat removal function into the existing detector module volume, eliminating the need for additional dedicated heat exchanger space within the gantry while maintaining adequate heat removal capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat exchangers are extracted from the gantry interior and placed in external locations. This removes the space-consuming heat exchanger components from the limited gantry volume while preserving the heat removal function through external heat dissipation systems.
4Device complexity
If detector elements and electronic components share common cooling, then system simplicity is improved, but detector cooling priority is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into separate cooling circuits: one for detector elements and another for electronic components. This segmentation ensures that detector elements receive prioritized cooling with dedicated coolant flow, while electronic components are cooled through a separate channel, maintaining both simple modular architecture and optimal detector temperature control.
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 enables flexible scaling of heat transfer capacity to accommodate varying numbers of detector assemblies, reduces noise and construction complexity, and maintains stable temperature bandwidths for sensitive detector elements, such as SiPMs.
Implementation Method 1
a first chill plate for cooling detector elements and a separate, second chill plate for cooling other electronic components
Implementation Method 2
coolant flow cascades sequentially through the first chill plate and then through the second chill plate
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid coolant system for a gantry of a medical imaging apparatus cools scalable detector electronic assemblies (DEAs) within the gantry. Each DEA includes within its modular housing a first chill plate thermally conductively coupled to cooling detector elements therein and a separate, second chill plate thermally conductively coupled to other electronic components therein, such as electronic circuit boards and/or power supplies. In some embodiments, the first chill plate is oriented between the detector elements and the second chill plate, for thermally isolating the detector elements from other heat dissipating components within the DEA. In some embodiments, coolant flow cascades sequentially through the first chill plate and then through the second chill plate.