Helical MRI Cooling Conduit for Low Noise and Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices experience noise and vibration issues due to the flow of cooling medium through conduits, which can disturb patients and increase operational costs and measurement inaccuracies.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system incorporating a helically wound gas transfer conduit with a tube having a continuous helical channel along its length, reducing noise and vibration by minimizing reverberation within the conduits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional straight conduits are used for cooling medium transfer, then the cooling system is simple and easy to manufacture, but noise and vibration are generated due to irregular flow and reverberation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing straight conduits with helically wound conduits. The helical shape creates a smooth, curved flow path that eliminates abrupt directional changes and dead zones, thereby reducing turbulence and reverberation of the cooling medium. This curved geometry maintains manufacturing feasibility while significantly reducing noise and vibration generated during operation.
2Ease of manufacture
If smooth bore conduits are used, then manufacturing is easier, but noise and vibration increase due to irregular inner surfaces and flow patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The helical winding of the conduit creates a consistently curved flow path that guides the cooling medium smoothly through the system. This curvature eliminates the irregular flow patterns and dead zones associated with straight conduits, reducing turbulence-induced noise while maintaining smooth inner surfaces that are feasible to manufacture.
3Productivity
If cooling system operates at high efficiency, then heat transfer is optimized, but noise and vibration increase due to high velocity flow
Solution Approach 1:
The helical conduit design optimizes heat transfer efficiency by maintaining turbulent flow conditions through its curved geometry, which enhances mixing and heat exchange. Simultaneously, the continuous curved path reduces flow separation and reverberation, allowing high-velocity flow to occur with minimal noise and vibration generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The helical winding creates a periodic flow pattern that naturally dampens vibrations. As the cooling medium progresses through the helical turns, the flow experiences regular directional changes that prevent the buildup of resonant vibrations, maintaining efficient heat transfer while reducing harmful noise and vibration levels.
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 helically wound conduit design results in a quieter operation of MRI devices, enhancing the patient experience and improving measurement accuracy by reducing noise and vibration associated with the cooling system.
Implementation Method 1
reducing noise and vibration by minimizing reverberation within the conduits
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the magnet to the cooling medium
Data Source
AI summary
A conduit for the transfer of a cooling medium is provided that may include a tube that has a length and a through aperture that extends through the entire length. The tube may have an inner surface that defines a helical channel that may be continuous along a length of the tube such that the helical channel is continuous along a plurality of turns of the helical channel along the inner surface. The conduit may be incorporated into a cooling system of a magnetic resonance imaging device.