Method and apparatus to hyperpolarize materials for enhanced mr techniques

A polarizing subsystem comprising:

• a container having a liquid helium bath configured to receive a material to be polarized;
• a sorption pump to reduce a pressure in the container, thereby to vaporize a portion of the liquid helium bath, the sorption pump comprising:
• a sorb can configured separate, spaced apart, and exterior to the container;
• a cooling system comprising:
• a magnet condenser configured separate, spaced apart, and exterior to the container, configured to recondense liquid helium boiled off therefrom and cool the sorption pump and promote molecular adsorption therein;
• a thermally conductive link that selectively connects the sorption pump and the cooling system to provide selective cooling to the sorption pump;
• a heater disposed adjoining the sorption pump, the heater configured to heat the sorption pump and promote molecular desorption therein;
• a single magnetic field producing device configured to maintain a selected magnetic field for polarizing the material in the apparatus, wherein the single magnetic field producing device is cooled by the cooling system,
• wherein the polarizer system operates in a closed cyclical thermal cycle alternating between a polarizing phase and a reheating phase based on the thermally conductive link of the sorption pump to the cooling system.

A method for producing a hyperpolarized material comprising:

• placing a material sample in a vessel containing a liquid helium bath;
• reducing a temperature of the liquid helium bath with a sorption pump and a refrigeration system, wherein the sorption pump comprises:
• a sorb can configured separate from and exterior to and spaced apart from the vessel,
• wherein the refrigeration system comprises:
• a helium condenser configured separate from and exterior to and spaced apart from the vessel;
• refilling the liquid helium bath by heating the sorption pump with a heater, the heater being disposed adjoining the sorption pump;
• positioning a single magnetic field producing device adjacent the vessel, wherein the single magnetic field producing device is configured to product a high homogeneity magnetic field and a fringe magnetic field offset from the high homogeneity field;
• and
• polarizing the material sample when the liquid helium bath has been sufficiently cooled by the single magnetic field producing device.

A polarizer system comprising:

• a refrigerator;
• a magnet condenser;
• a helium condenser;
• a thermal bus permanently linking the refrigerator, the magnet condenser, and the helium condenser;
• a sorption pump selectively linked through a thermal switch to the thermal bus;
• a heater adjoining the sorption pump;
• a container containing a cryogenic refrigerant therein, configured to receive a plurality of samples for polarizing therein;
• a magnetic field producing device in a magnet vessel surrounding the container;
• wherein the polarizing system is further configured to operate in three separate modes, wherein:
• a first mode comprises:
• heating the sorption pump with the heater, thereby releasing helium gas to be cooled and liquefied by the helium condenser, wherein the released helium gas heats the thermal bus, thereby isolating the magnet vessel due to a thermal diode effect at the magnet condenser;
• a second mode comprises:
• upon completion of condensation of helium from the sorption pump, turning off the heater and cooling the sorption pump by closing the thermal switch, thereby creating a thermal linkage of the sorption pump, the thermal bus and the refrigerator, and thermally isolating the magnetic field producing device from the thermal bus;
• and,
• a third mode comprises:
• cooling the magnetic field producing device, thereby eliminating a thermal diode effect of the magnet condenser.