Detector Head Cooling Channels for Translatable SPECT Tomography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nuclear medicine tomography systems face challenges in effectively cooling detector heads that are translatable with respect to the detector carrier, leading to temperature fluctuations that can affect detector performance and patient comfort.
Innovation Solution
A closed-loop cooling system is implemented, where air is circulated through a detector carrier housing and detector units, using a heat pump to maintain temperatures below room temperature, with separate cooling and exhaust channels, and sensors and actuators to regulate temperature, ensuring detector cameras remain within a desired temperature range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If detector heads are translatable with respect to the detector carrier to enable close range tomographic scanning, then imaging versatility and patient comfort are improved, but temperature control of detector cameras becomes difficult due to varying distances from cooling sources
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling channels, with each channel dedicated to cooling a specific detector head. This allows each detector head to be cooled independently regardless of its position on the detector carrier, resolving the temperature control issue while maintaining imaging versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
Each detector head receives customized cooling through its dedicated cooling channel, providing local temperature control tailored to the specific thermal conditions of each detector position. This ensures optimal temperature management for each detector camera independently.
2Temperature
If cooling channels are routed through extendable arms to reach detector cameras, then detector cooling is achieved, but the complexity of the cooling system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling channels are designed to serve multiple detector heads through the extendable arm structure, allowing the same cooling infrastructure to cool multiple detector cameras at different positions, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channels are nested within the extendable arm structure, utilizing the existing mechanical framework for cooling conduit routing. This integration reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall cooling system design.
3Reliability
If a closed-loop cooling system is used to maintain detector temperatures below ambient, then detector performance is improved, but the system complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system uses the ambient room temperature as a heat sink, allowing the detector carrier housing to dissipate heat from detector cameras passively through thermal conduction and convection, reducing the need for active cooling mechanisms and simplifying the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling function is merged with the structural housing of the detector carrier, which serves both as a mechanical support and a thermal management component, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining detector performance.
4Ease of operation
If room temperature is controlled for patient comfort, then patient comfort is improved, but the ability to cool detectors below ambient temperature is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal management system is segmented into separate zones: detector cooling channels maintain detectors at low temperatures while room temperature control systems maintain the patient area at comfortable temperatures, allowing both goals to be achieved simultaneously without interference.
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
The system effectively maintains detector camera temperatures below ambient levels, reducing noise and improving imaging accuracy while ensuring patient comfort by controlling room temperature, thus enhancing the performance and reliability of nuclear medicine tomography systems.
Implementation Method 1
a heat pump configured to cool air within said inner space to a temperature below room temperature of a room in which said system is located
Implementation Method 2
a cooling channel passing through the extendable arm which guides air to the detector camera from the inner space
Implementation Method 3
an exhaust channel passing through the extendable arm which guides air from the detector camera to the inner space
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C~1D
AI summary
A nuclear medicine tomography system including: a detector carrier; a detector carrier housing including an inner space; a plurality of detector units, coupled to the detector carrier, each detector unit comprising: a detector camera; a cooling channel which guides air to the detector camera from the inner space; an exhaust channel which guides air from the detector camera to the inner space; a heat pump configured to cool air within the inner space.