MRI Cooling Circuit Flow Control for Lower Pump Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Magnetic resonance devices require continuous cooling, leading to high energy consumption due to the permanent operation of main magnets and dynamic heat release from various components, making it challenging to predict and manage cooling power effectively.
Innovation Solution
The cooling circuit is divided into separate sub-circuits for permanent and examination-mode components, with a controllable pump and flow adjustment device to optimize coolant flow based on operating states, reducing pump performance when unnecessary components are not generating heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pump operates continuously to cool all components, then all components are adequately cooled, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling circuit is divided into multiple independent sub-circuits, each serving specific components. The first sub-circuit cools the main magnet continuously, while the second sub-circuit cools additional components only when needed. This segmentation allows the pump to operate at lower power or intermittently for the second sub-circuit, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining cooling reliability for critical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump power is made dynamically adjustable based on operating conditions. A control device monitors the operating state and adjusts the pump power accordingly - using higher power when additional components need cooling and lower power when only the main magnet requires cooling. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining adequate cooling and minimizing energy consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the pump power is reduced to save energy, then energy consumption decreases, but cooling capacity becomes insufficient during examination operations
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the cooling circuit into sub-circuits with independent flow control, the system can provide full cooling capacity to the main magnet while reducing or shutting off flow to the second sub-circuit when examination components are not in use. During examination operations, the control device activates the second sub-circuit and increases pump power to provide the necessary cooling capacity, thus resolving the contradiction between energy savings and adequate cooling capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device monitors the operating state of the magnetic resonance device and adjusts pump power in real-time based on actual cooling requirements. This feedback mechanism ensures that the pump provides sufficient power during examination operations while reducing power consumption during idle periods, effectively resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and cooling capacity.
3Device complexity
If a single cooling circuit is used for all components, then the system structure is simple, but it cannot optimize cooling for different operating modes
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling circuit is divided into multiple sub-circuits with independent flow control, allowing the system to adapt to different operating modes by selectively activating specific sub-circuits. The first sub-circuit serves the main magnet in all modes, while the second sub-circuit serves additional components only during examination operations. This segmentation provides operating mode adaptability while maintaining relatively simple system structure through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed with multi-functionality to serve different components in different operating modes. The same pump and control device manage multiple sub-circuits, with the ability to configure cooling distribution based on operational requirements. This universal approach allows a single system to handle both continuous main magnet cooling and intermittent additional component cooling, achieving adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity.
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 approach significantly reduces energy consumption by minimizing pump power usage, achieving savings of approximately 0.1-1 MWh per year, while ensuring sufficient cooling for magnetic resonance imaging operations.
Implementation Method 1
the pump circulates the water to cool the components and the magnetic cooler, with heat being transferred to the customer's primary water via a heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
the water is passed through a cooling unit, specifically a so-called 'chiller,' which transfers heat to the outside air
Implementation Method 3
superconducting main magnets, which are cooled by a helium-based magnetic cooler comprising a helium compressor and a cold head
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a magnetic resonance device (1) comprising a superconducting main magnet (2), a magnetic cooler (3) for the main magnet (2), and a cooling device for the magnetic cooler (3) and further components (8) of the magnetic resonance device (1) to be cooled, wherein the cooling device comprises a cooling circuit (6) with a coolant that can be circulated by means of a pump (7), wherein the cooling circuit (6) comprises a first sub-circuit (14) to which the magnetic cooler (3) is coupled for cooling, at least a second sub-circuit (15, 15a, 15b) for the further components (8), and a common section (16), wherein at least the second sub-circuit (15, 15a, 15b) comprises a flow control device (19) for adjusting the coolant flow through the sub-circuit (14, 15, 15a, 15b), and a control device (21) is associated with the cooling device.which is designed to control the pump (7) and/or the flow control device (19) depending on operating status information from the magnetic resonance device (1).