Quenchline exit plenum for a cyrogenic unit
AssigneeSiemens Magnet Technology Ltd.
InventorsStephen Trowell, Keith White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
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.
Claims20
Apparatus for venting evaporated coolant from a cryogenic unit housed in a mobile trailer, comprising:
- a quench line for receiving a flow of evaporated coolant gas from said cryogenic unit during a quench thereof;
- and
- a plenum coupled to said quench line and opening to an ambient environment surrounding said trailer via a main vent and a secondary vent;
- wherein
- said main vent is separated from said secondary vent by first and second deflector plates mounted in said plenum;
- said deflector plates cooperate with a curved upper interior surface of said plenum to deflect said gas flow in an upward direction relative to a surface that supports the trailer, as said gas exits the plenum;
- said first and second deflector plates overlap each other and are separated by a gap which connects said secondary vent with said main vent, whereby during an outward flow of evaporated gas from said cryogenic unit via said main vent, ambient air is drawn into said secondary vent, flows through said gap into said main vent, and is combined with said outward flow.
Apparatus for venting evaporated coolant from a cryogenic unit installed in a housing defined by front, side and rear walls, said apparatus comprising:
- a quench line coupled to said cryogenic unit;
- a plenum coupled to said quench line and opening through a wall of said housing to an exterior of said housing;
- and
- deflectors arranged in said plenum for deflecting a flow of evaporated coolant from said quench line upwardly as it exits said plenum through a main vent;
- wherein said deflectors define and separate a secondary vent in said plenum, and include an air flow path by which ambient air can be drawn into said plenum via said secondary vent and mix with said flow of evaporated coolant via said air flow path.
A plenum for venting an evaporated coolant flow from a quench line for a cryogenic unit housed in a mobile trailer, comprising:
- a chamber adapted to receive said evaporated coolant flow from said quench line, and guide it to an exterior of said trailer;
- first and second deflector plates disposed in said chamber, for deflecting said evaporated coolant flow upwardly relative to a surface that supports the trailer, as said evaporated coolant exits the chamber via a first vent of said chamber;
- a second vent of said chamber delineated from said first vent by said first and second deflector plates;
- wherein said first and second deflector plates overlap each other and are separated from each other by a gap which forms a gas flow path connecting said first and second vents, whereby ambient air can be drawn into said second vent and flow through the gap into the first vent during an outward flow of evaporated coolant through said plenum during a quenching of said cryogenic unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.