Apparatus and method for producing polarized vapor-phase helium-3, particularly for NMR imaging
AssigneeCentre National de la Recherche Scientific (CNRS)
InventorsJean-Pierre Nacher, Geneviève Tastevin
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing polarized high-pressure vapor-phase helium-3, particularly for NMR imaging. The apparatus comprises a means for injecting helium-3 or a mixture of isotopes into an optical pumping cell (2), a means for liquefying the polarized gas from the optical pumping cell (2) and a tank (4) for storing the polarized liquid-phase helium-3, characterized in that the storage tank (4) is cooled to a temperature that may be set between a storage temperature Ta and an evaporation temperature Te, and communicates alternately with the optical pumping cell (2) and a high-pressure helium-3 gas discharge duct.
Claims13
Apparatus for producing polarized vapor-phase helium-3, particularly for NMR imaging, with the apparatus comprising a means for injecting helium-3 or a mixture of isotopes into an optical pumping cell (2) for polarizing said helium-3, a means for liquefaction of the polarized gas from the optical pumping cell (2) and a tank (4) for storing the polarized helium-3 in liquid phase, wherein the tank (4) is selectively temperature controlled, for establishing phase and pressure as a function of temperature, between a storage temperature Ta and an evaporation temperature Te, and including means for alternatively communicating said tank (4) with said optical pumping cell (2) and with a high-pressure helium-3 gas discharge duct through which vapor-phase helium-3, generated by evaporation within said tank is discharged.
Method for producing polarized vapor-phase helium-3 comprised of injecting helium-3 into an optical pumping cell (2), polarizing helium-3 in said optical pumping cell;
- and collecting and storing the polarized helium-3 in liquid phase in a storage tank, that is selectively temperature controlled between a helium storage temperature Ta and a helium evaporation temperature Te;
- and evaporating and discharging at least a portion of said stored liquid polarized helium-3 to produce vapor phase polarized helium-3.
Body imaging method comprising the steps of storing polarized helium-3 in a tank (4) that is selectively temperature controlled between a storage temperature Ta and an evaporation temperature Te, with said tank communicating alternately with an optical pumping cell (2) and with a helium-3 gas discharge duct;
- discharging vapor phase, polarized helium-3 through said duct;
- and penetrating said body with said vapor phase, polarized helium-3.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.