Quenchline Exit Plenum Venting for Mobile MRI Helium Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile MRI systems face safety risks due to inadequate quench line designs that fail to safely vent helium gas during magnet quenching, potentially causing injury or asphyxiation, and must comply with trailer size and regulatory constraints while minimizing cost and internal space requirements.
Innovation Solution
A quench line and exit plenum arrangement with deflector plates directing gas flow upward and dual vents to facilitate gas flow and water drainage, utilizing the Venturi effect to deflect gases away from pedestrians and enable safe filling operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the quench line exit is positioned horizontally at the rear of the trailer, then the structure is simple and manufacturing cost is minimized, but cold gas can impinge on service personnel and pedestrians causing injury
Solution Approach 1:
The quench line exit is repositioned from a horizontal rear location to a vertical position on the side of the trailer, utilizing the vertical dimension to direct cold gas upward and away from service personnel and pedestrians at ground level. This dimensional change resolves the safety hazard while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the quench line exit is directed upward to deflect gas away from personnel, then safety is improved, but the exit structure becomes more complex and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The exit structure is segmented into simple functional components: a vertical pipe section and a grill assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using standard materials and assembly methods, minimizing overall manufacturing complexity while achieving the safety function of directing gas upward.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the quench line exit grill has small openings to prevent debris ingress, then protection against wildlife and debris is improved, but gas flow restriction increases causing dangerous pressure buildup
Solution Approach 1:
The grill assembly incorporates openings of specifically optimized dimensions that provide sufficient local quality for debris protection while maintaining adequate gas flow capacity. The opening size is carefully balanced to filter wind-borne debris and prevent wildlife ingress without creating dangerous flow restrictions during quench events.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the quench line exit is positioned at maximum trailer width to deflect gas away, then safety distance from pedestrians is improved, but the trailer width exceeds regulatory limits
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical orientation of the quench line exit creates a dynamic gas discharge pattern that projects cold gas upward and outward in an arc, naturally extending the safety distance from pedestrians without requiring the trailer to exceed maximum width regulations. The gas flow dynamics achieve safety through motion rather than static dimensional expansion.
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 design effectively directs quench flow gases away from individuals, ensures safe venting, and meets regulatory and space constraints, reducing the risk of injury and asphyxiation while maintaining efficient gas flow and water drainage.
Implementation Method 1
The deflector plates are configured to utilize the Venturi effect to create an auxiliary flow of the ambient air, which combines with the cold gas flow, and helps to deflect it away from nearby pedestrians
Data Source
AI summary
A quench line and exit plenum configuration for a mobile MRI system housed in a transportable trailer includes an exit plenum with deflector plates that direct the quench flow of cold gases upward and away from surrounding objects. In addition, the plenum also includes dual vents to facilitate optimum gas flow and water drainage. The deflector plates are configured to utilize the Venturi effect to create an auxiliary flow of the ambient air to help deflect the flow of cold gases away from nearby pedestrians, when the magnet is quenching, and to enable service personnel to fill the magnet safely while in the vicinity of the exit plenum.