Two-Channel Animal Temperature Control for Anesthetized Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature control systems for small animals during imaging under anesthesia suffer from thermal inertia and slow response times, especially in pulse electron paramagnetic resonance oxygen imaging (EPROI), which requires precise temperature regulation and rapid adaptation to heat deposition changes, while also necessitating close monitoring of respiratory function due to anesthesia effects.
Innovation Solution
A two-channel temperature control system using cold and hot air channels with a turbulent flow chamber and a PID controller to rapidly adjust air temperature near the animal, combined with an animal bed apparatus and respiratory monitoring, ensuring precise temperature maintenance and agile response to thermal fluctuations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heating elements are located outside the imager, then non-magnetic temperature control is achieved, but thermal inertia increases and response time to temperature changes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides temperature control into two independent channels: a hot air channel with heating element and fan, and a cold air channel with cooling fan. Each channel operates independently with its own control loop, allowing rapid response without thermal inertia from a single large heating system located outside the imager.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a turbulent flow chamber as an intermediary component that mixes hot and cold air streams. This chamber enables rapid temperature adjustment by controlling the ratio of hot to cold air mixing, providing fast response time while maintaining the non-magnetic requirement of having heating elements outside the imager.
2Manufacturing precision
If a complex temperature control system is implemented, then temperature regulation precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a PID controller that continuously reads temperature from a thermocouple and adjusts the duty cycle of heating and cooling fans accordingly. This feedback mechanism maintains temperature within 0.5°C of the setpoint, achieving high precision while using standard off-the-shelf components rather than complex custom-built systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system controls temperature by changing the duty cycle parameter of PWM-controlled fans and heating elements. By adjusting the proportion of time the heating and cooling components are active, the system achieves precise temperature control through simple parameter modulation rather than complex mechanical adjustments.
3Loss of time
If rapid temperature adjustment is implemented, then response time to heat deposition changes is improved, but thermal stability during imaging may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the duty cycle of heating and cooling fans based on real-time temperature feedback. During imaging when heat deposition occurs, the cooling fan duty cycle increases rapidly. Between imaging sequences, the heating fan duty cycle increases to maintain temperature, providing both rapid response and stability through dynamic parameter adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards heat during imaging by increasing cooling fan operation, then recovers temperature between sequences by increasing heating fan operation. This cyclical discarding and recovering of thermal energy allows the system to handle transient heat loads from imaging while maintaining overall temperature stability.
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 animal temperature within a target range, adapting quickly to imaging-induced heat changes and anesthesia effects, enhancing the reliability of EPROI results by preventing hypothermia and overheating, and ensuring animal wellbeing.
Implementation Method 1
a heating block operatively connected to the heating fan and the heating air line to heat the air within the heating air line
Implementation Method 2
a heating fan operatively connected to a heating air line; a heating block operatively connected to the heating fan and the heating air line to heat the air within the heating air line
Implementation Method 3
a cooling fan operatively connected to a cooling air line
Implementation Method 4
The controller is a PID controller and the controller automatically reads a temperature from a thermocouple and adjusts a duty cycle of the heating and cooling fans
Implementation Method 5
The controller automatically reads a temperature from a thermocouple
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are apparatuses, systems, and methods of controlling the temperature of an animal being imaged under anesthesia. For example, the animal is placed under anesthesia on an animal bed apparatus within an imaging system, the temperature of a conditioned air flow from the air injector via a temperature control apparatus is measured using an air temperature sensor, the temperature of the animal's body is measured using an animal temperature sensor, the temperature of the conditioned air flow to the animal and the temperature of the animal's body is monitored using a controller in communication with a temperature control apparatus, air temperature sensor, and animal temperature sensor, and the temperature of the conditioned air directed over the animal is automatically adjusted using the temperature control apparatus.