Abstract:
A magnetic resonance assembly comprising, a liquid cryogen vessel, a liquid cryogen cooled conducting magnet disposed within the liquid cryogen vessel, a closed vaccum vessel surrounding the liquid cryogen vessel and spaced from the liquid cryogen vessel, a cooling device fixably attached to the vacuum vessel operable for providing cryogenic temperatures to the superconducting magnet, a heat exchanger device in thermal contact with the liquid cryogen vessel operable for heat exchange, and a bus bar in thermal contact with the cooling device and the heat exchanger device. The cooling device may be a pulse tube cryocooler capable of providing temperatures of about 4 K. A thermal bus bar of high purity aluminum or copper is used to connect and provide a spatial separation of a pulse tube cryocooler and a remote recondenser unit, thus reducing the overall height of the magnet assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of Magnetic Resonance (MR) magnets. More particularly, the present invention relates to pulse tube cryocooler integration and interface design for open and cylindrical MR superconducting magnets. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     As is well known in the art, a superconducting magnet may be made superconducting by placing it in an extremely cold environment, such as by enclosing it in a cryostat or pressure vessel and surrounding it with a liquid cryogen. Ultra low temperature refrigerators such as Gifford McMahon (GM) cryocoolers are widely used for maintaining the low temperature environment. The extreme cold ensures that the magnet coils are maintained in superconducting operation, such that when a power source is initially connected to the magnet coils (for a period of 10 minutes, for example) to introduce a current flow through the coils, the current will continue to flow through the coils even after the power is removed due to the absence of electrical resistance in the coils, thereby maintaining a strong magnetic field. Superconducting magnet assemblies find wide application in the field of MRI. 
     While GM cryocoolers are capable of providing cooling at around 4 K (liquid helium temperature), their use has several drawbacks. For one, they impart more vibrational energy to the superconducting magnets of an MRI system than is desirable, resulting in a lower image quality. Next, the acoustic signature tends to be high, resulting in complaints from doctors and technicians about coldhead chirp. In addition, GM cryocoolers have a large number of moving parts which makes them prone to frictional wear and subsequent breakdown. 
     In contrast to GM cryocoolers, pulse tube cryocoolers capable of providing cooling at 4 K, have far fewer drawbacks. It would be desirable to apply these cryocoolers on superconducting MR magnets, and particularly to superconducting magnets that are zero boiloff in design. Pulse tube cryocoolers offer distinct advantages for superconducting MR magnets. Pulse tubes impart much less vibrational energy to superconducting magnets than do GM cryocoolers. This improves the image quality of the MR scan and allows for more aggressive siting (i.e., allows for higher environmental/ground vibration) of the MR imaging system. The acoustic signature is less than that of a GM cryocooler, and the sound quality patterns are less annoying, resulting in a lower sound pressure level. And, pulse tube cryocoolers have far less moving parts than GM cryocoolers, which makes them more reliable. 
     Pulse tube cryocoolers provide unique integration challenges. Pulse tubes must be near vertically oriented (±100°) to achieve adequate cooling capacities. This creates challenges for the superconducting magnet cryostat design concerning maximum ceiling height for service and configuration of zero boiloff hardware. Zero boiloff technology requires that the cryocooler be mounted at the top of the magnet. If the recondensor is mounted directly to the pulse tube, the added height to the magnet will restrict access to the cryocooler and restrict the minimum opening through which the magnet can pass during installation. What is needed is a solution to mount the pulse tube lower while keeping the recondensor above the maximum liquid helium level. It is necessary to achieve a low thermal loss interface between the pulse tube cryocooler and a recondensor to minimize cooling power loss. It would further be desirable to eliminate the cryocooler sleeve used on conventional systems, due to the extra heat load added by the sleeve. This extra heat load requires that higher capacity cryocoolers be used, and reduces the useful life of the cryocooler. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, the present invention describes a magnetic resonance assembly comprising, a liquid cryogen vessel, a liquid cryogen cooled superconducting magnet disposed within the liquid cryogen vessel, a closed vacuum vessel surrounding the liquid cryogen vessel and spaced from the liquid cryogen vessel, a cooling device fixably attached to the vacuum vessel operable for providing cryogenic temperatures to the superconducting magnet, a heat exchanger device in thermal contact with the liquid cryogen vessel operable for heat exchange, and a bus bar in thermal contact with the cooling device and the heat exchanger device. 
     In another aspect, the cooling device comprises a pulse tube cryocooler operable for generating a temperature in the range of about 4 K. The pulse tube cryocooler is connected to a remote recondensor device via a thermal bus bar of either high purity aluminum or high purity copper. The pulse tube cryocooler and remote recondensor devices are connected to the thermal bus bar using a low thermal loss interface, such as a weld, a joint, a clamp, a bolted indium joint or combinations thereof. In a further aspect, the pulse tube cryocooler may be fixably attached to the vacuum vessel as a permanent part of the magnet cryostat. 
     In a still further aspect, the thermal bus bar allows the pulse tube cryocooler to be attached to the vacuum vessel at any desired position on the magnet. The thermal bus bar also allows the remote recondensor device to be located at any desired position within the vacuum vessel above a maximum liquid helium level. Therefore, the thermal bus bar provides great flexibility in the design of the magnet assembly, reducing the overall height of the assembly. 
     In a still further aspect, the heat exchanger device is connected to the liquid cryogen vessel via one or more lines operable for transporting gas, wherein the lines allow cryogen gas to flow upward into the heat exchanger device and recondensed cryogen liquid to flow back into the liquid cryogen vessel, and provide thermal and vibration isolation between the heat exchanger device and the liquid cryogen vessel. 
     In a still further aspect, the present invention describes a magnetic resonance assembly comprising a liquid cryogen vessel, a liquid cryogen cooled superconducting magnet disposed within the liquid cryogen vessel, a closed vacuum vessel surrounding the liquid cryogen vessel and spaced from the liquid cryogen vessel, a means for cooling fixably attached to the vacuum vessel, a means for heat exchange in thermal contact with the liquid cryogen vessel, and a means for connecting and providing a spatial separation of the cooling means and the heat exchange means. 
     The present invention describes systems that allow for open and cylindrical superconducting magnets to operate using a single cryocooler without the need for coldhead switching, a cooling device that allows more aggressive siting of cylindrical magnets due to less coldhead vibration, inherently quieter operation, improved reliability, reduced magnet heat load, reduced liquid helium boiloff and lower magnet height. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A variety of specific embodiments of this invention will now be illustrated with reference to the Figures. In these Figures, like elements have been given like numerals. 
     FIG. 1 is an illustration of an open superconducting magnet and cooling device assembly of an MRI system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an illustration of a cylindrical superconducting magnet and cooling device assembly of an MRI system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating a comparison of the thermal conductivity of aluminum versus copper in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is an illustration of a pulse tube cryocooler attached to a thermal bus bar using a weld in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is an illustration of a pulse tube cryocooler attached to a thermal bus bar using indium in the form of a bolted indium joint in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an illustration of a remote recondensor device attached to a thermal bus bar using a weld in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 7 is an illustration of a remote recondensor device attached to a thermal bus bar using indium in the form of a bolted indium joint in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. Specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. Throughout the drawings, like elements are given like numerals. The systems described below apply to the cooling of open and cylindrical magnetic resonance (MR) superconducting magnets, however, in principle also apply to any cryogenic system which benefits from cryogen re-liquification. 
     Referring now to the figures, FIGS. 1 and 2 are two different illustrations of a superconducting magnet and cooling device assembly, shown generally at  20 , of an MRI system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 illustrates an open system and FIG. 2 illustrates a cylindrical system. A magnet cartridge  22  comprising a superconducting MR magnet device is disposed within a fluid containing vessel housing (hereinafter referred to as “helium vessel  24 ”), such as a cryostat or pressure vessel. The superconducting MR magnet device may be of a zero boiloff design. The helium vessel  24  contains liquid helium or other liquid cryogen that surrounds the superconducting magnet device and provides cooling temperatures for superconducting operation. Surrounding the outer periphery of the liquid helium vessel  24  is a thermal shield  26  operable for reducing the penetration of heat from the exterior and therefore reducing evaporation of the liquid helium or cryogen. Surrounding the outer periphery of the thermal shield  26  is multi-layer insulation  27  or superinsulation that is wrapped onto the thermal shield and a vacuum insulation vessel  28 . The vacuum vessel  28  separates the atmosphere outside of the vacuum vessel  28  from the liquid helium vessel  24 . Multi-layer superinsulation may be interposed between the vacuum vessel  28  and thermal shield  26 . A pulse tube cryocooler body, as will be described in detail below, is welded to the vacuum vessel  28  or sealed to the vacuum vessel  28  using an O-ring seal or metal seal such as heliocoflex or conflat type hyper seals. Both the weld, metal and the O-ring seal accomplish a leak tight interface needed for the cryostat. The pulse tube body is joined to the magnet  22  as a permanent part of the magnet cryostat. 
     The cooling device in the form of a pulse tube cryocooler, shown generally at  30 , is operatively connected to the magnet cartridge  22  via a thermal bus bar  32 , remote recondensor device  34 , gas line  36  and liquid line  38 . The pulse tube cryocooler  30  is of a conventional type known in the art operable for cooling to low temperatures. One pulse tube cryocooler  30  may be used in the practice of the present invention, eliminating the need for coldhead switching during imaging. The use of a pulse tube cryocooler  30  allows a more aggressive siting of the cylindrical magnets due to less coldhead vibration, producing better images and less ghosting. Pulse tube cryocoolers  30  known in the art are capable of providing cooling at about 4 K, liquid helium temperature. The pulse tube cryocooler  30  is a closed system that uses a compressor and valve switching at one end to generate an oscillating helium gas flow to the pulse tube cryocooler  30 . The helium gas flow is operable for carrying heat away from a low temperature point or cold heat exchanger. A lower portion of the pulse tube cryocooler  30  comprises a cold head, a cold accumulator and a pulse tube. The lower portion is inserted into an upper surface  40  of the vacuum vessel  28 . The gas line  36  and the liquid line  38  are a pair of thin walled tubes, such as bellows, that extend between the remote recondensor device  34  and apertures in the upper part of the helium vessel  24  above the liquid helium level. Lines  36  and  38  may be fabricated of stainless steel, for example. 
     Some conventional superconducting magnet designs incorporate a cryocooler sleeve which allows for the complete replacement of the coldhead. The sleeve adds extra heat load. The sleeve may add as much as 5 W to the thermal shield  26  and as much as 0.05 W to the 4 K helium vessel  24 . The extra heat loads require higher capacity cryocoolers  30  and reduce the useful life of the cryocooler  30 . The reliability and service configuration of the pulse tube cryocooler device  30  of the present invention allows for no sleeve, which reduces the heat leak to the magnet, thereby reducing the liquid helium boiloff and extending the life of the cryocooler  30 . The pulse tube cryocooler  30  body becomes an integral part of the magnet cryostat. 
     In preferred embodiments, the pulse tubes are vertical to near vertically oriented, plus or minus about 10 degrees, with vertical being defined as the axis of the pulse tube being vertical with the cooling stations oriented downward. The pulse tube cryocooler  30  needs to be oriented vertically otherwise the thermal performance is degraded. Zero boiloff technology requires that the remote recondensor device  34  be mounted at the top of the magnet cartridge  22 , above the maximum liquid helium level. The cooling station of the pulse tube cryocooler device  30  would normally be connected directly to the recondensor device  34 , increasing the magnet ceiling height. The thermal bus bar  32  eliminates the need for the direct connection between the cryocooler device  30  and the recondensor device  34 . In FIGS. 1 and 2, the cryocooler  30  is shown vertically oriented. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate improved magnet design concerning maximum magnet ceiling height for service and configuration of zero boiloff hardware. 
     The lower portion of the pulse tube cryocooler  30  is operatively connected to a thermal bus bar  32 . The pulse tube cryocooler  30  is mounted low enough relative to the magnet top to allow servicing and moving/installation of the assembly  20 . This arrangement may vary from magnet design to magnet design. This invention allows the height of the cryocooler  30  to be controlled. The cold head of the pulse tube cryocooler  30  can move vertically up and down wherever needed to in order to satisfy the overall height requirement. If the remote recondensor device  34  were mounted directly to the pulse tube cryocooler  30 , as is the case in conventional systems, the added height to the magnet by the cooling device assembly  30  would restrict access to the pulse tube cryocooler  30 , and restrict the minimum opening through which the assembly  20  can pass during installation. The introduction of the thermal bus bar  32  allows the pulse tube cryocooler  30  to be mounted lower while keeping the remote recondensor device  34  above the maximum liquid helium level. 
     The thermal bus bar  32  is connected to the remote recondensor device  34  to keep the recondensor device  34  above the maximum liquid helium level. The thermal bus bar  32  is made from high thermal conductivity materials at cryogenic temperatures (4 K, for example) such as high purity aluminum (greater than 99.999 percent pure) or high purity copper (greater than 99.99 percent pure). Referring now to FIG. 3, a graph is shown comparing high-purity aluminum to high-purity copper. At 4 K, high purity aluminum and copper have nearly the same thermal conductivity. Aluminum has approximately half the thermal conductivity of high purity copper at higher temperatures, (e.g., above about 100 K, this is shown at  50 ). Thus, during normal operation, both would function similarly, but in the event of fault in the pulse tube (power loss, mechanical failure, etc.), the aluminum thermal bus bar  32  would load the liquid helium cryostat with one half the heat load as a copper bus bar. In addition to the percent purity level, the type of impurity is also important. The measure chosen for the type of impurity is the residual resisitivity ratio (RRR) defined as the ratio of the electrical resistivity at 4 K to the electrical resistivity at room temperature, 295 K, for example. The thermal conductivity is related to the electrical resistivity thru the Lorentz constant. High RRR (greater than 3000) aluminum or copper is needed to minimize the thermal loss due to the thermal bus bar  32 . The thermal bus bar  32  may carry as much as 1.5 W at 4 K. The colder end of the bus bar  32  at the pulse tube  30  interface may be as much as 0.2 K lower in temperature than the warm end at the remote recondensor device  34 . Every 0.1 K results in 0.1 W of lost cooling capacity, however, this number may vary depending upon the pulse tube cryocooler  30  used. 
     Because of the thermal bus bar  32 , the cryocooler  30  can be moved around within the system  20 . The present invention enables great flexibility in the placement of the pulse tube cryocooler  30  relative to the superconducting magnet  22 . Using materials like high purity aluminum that yield lower thermal conductivities at higher temperatures makes that possible. No matter what purity copper is used, whether it is high or regular, it has roughly twice the thermal conductivity of high purity aluminum at temperatures above about 100 K, which temperatures indicate a fault condition. Using high purity aluminum is advantageous at temperatures above about 100 K where more resistance or less thermal conductivity is desired. Although copper or a cryogenic heat pipe may be used, aluminum is the preferred material of the present invention. 
     An important feature of zero boiloff superconducting magnets is that if the cryocooler  30  stops functioning (a fault event), liquid helium is boiled-off. During fault events, a poor conduction link between the cryocooler  30  and the helium vessel  24 , provided by the aluminum, effectively reduces the helium boiloff since the aluminum has a lower thermal conductivity at temperatures above about 60 K. 
     The low temperature provided by the pulse tube cryocooler  30  is adequate to enable the recondensing of helium gas which flows from a helium vapor space above the liquid helium level of the helium vessel  24  to the remote recondensor device  34 . The remote recondensor device  34  functions as a heat exchanger. The recondensor  34  recondenses helium gas into liquid helium which flows by gravity back into the helium vessel  24 . 
     How the pulse tube cryocooler  30  and remote recondensor device  34  are mounted to the thermal bus bar  32  is crucial to thermal performance. A low thermal loss interface is needed between the interface of the pulse tube cryocooler  30  and the thermal bus bar  32 , and between the thermal bus bar  32  and the remote recondensor device  34 . The pulse tube cryocooler  30  may be attached to the thermal shield  26  and the thermal bus bar  32  by multiple ways, such as through a clamped joint using indium or, directly welded. An indium interface will provide a temperature difference of about 0.2 K or less when the interface is operating at or near 4 K. A welded interface will provide a temperature difference that is much better than the indium interface, almost non-detectable. FIG. 4 shows the pulse tube cryocooler  30  attached to the thermal bus bar  32  using a fillet weld  60 . FIG. 5 shows the pulse tube cryocooler  30  attached to the thermal bus bar  32  using indium  70  in the form of a bolted indium joint  72 . FIG. 6 shows the remote recondensor device  34  attached to the thermal bus bar  32  using a fillet weld  60 . FIG. 7 shows the remote recondensor device  34  attached to the thermal bus bar  32  using indium  70  in the form of a bolted indium joint  72 . 
     In preferred embodiments of the present invention, welding the cryocooler  30  to the thermal bus bar  32  is preferred. Friction welding may be used to weld high-purity aluminum to copper. Friction welding is a solid-state process that is achieved through frictional heat. The heat is generated by a controlled rubbing of two components, the aluminum of the thermal bus bar  32  and the copper of the cryocooler  30 , until the materials reach a plastic state, at which time the plasticized materials begin to form layers that intertwine with one another. A friction welding machine is used to control the rubbing through a series of unique parameters for rotational speed, axial force and time. In the first step of the process, the thermal bus bar  32  and the cryocooler  30  are loaded into the welder, one in a rotating spindle and the other in a stationary clamp. Special tooling is required since these parts do not have a natural axis of symmetry. The component in the spindle is brought up to a pre-determined rotational speed and then a pre-determined axial force is applied. These conditions are maintained for a pre-determined amount of time until desired temperatures and material conditions exist. The rotational speed is then stopped and an increased axial force is applied until a desired upset is obtained. Friction welding is the most efficient form of welding because there is no material between the copper and the aluminum. Brazing may also be used in the practice of the present invention. 
     The pulse tube cryocooler  30  is welded to the thermal bus bar  32 . The remote recondensor device  34  is also welded to the thermal bus bar  32 . Because the thermal bus bar  32  is preferably made from aluminum, the pulse tube cryocooler  30  and the remote recondensor device  34  should be made with a piece of aluminum friction welded to them. Pulse tube  30  interfaces are typically copper, which is easily brazed to stainless steel, and the pulse tube body is typically made from stainless steel. 
     It is apparent that there have been provided, in accordance with the systems of the present invention, pulse tube cryocooler integration and interface designs for open and cylindrical MR superconducting magnets. Although the systems of the present invention have been described with reference to preferred embodiments and examples thereof, other embodiments and examples may perform similar functions and/or achieve similar results. All such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and scope of the present invention and are intended to be covered by the following claims.