Method and apparatus for generating hyperpolarized materials
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsLawrence Elwood Murphy, Emil Markov Georgiev, Erik Paul Kemper, Ryan Jerome Ramos
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Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for generating hyperpolarized materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, a flexible fluid path is provided for use in a polarizer system. In a further embodiment, a polarizer system is provided with an electromechanical assembly for controlling the movement of a fluid path, when present, within a sample path of the polarizer system. In a further embodiment, a polarizer system is provided having a sample path entry point at a convenient height for use by a user standing on the ground.
Claims19
A flexible fluid path of a polarizer system, comprising:
- a flexible double-walled tube comprising an inner tube and an outer tube;
- a terminal portion in fluid communication with both the inner tube and the outer tube;
- a first vessel in fluid communication with only one of the inner tube or the outer tube;
- and
- a second vessel in fluid communication with only whichever of the inner tube or the outer tube is not in fluid communication with the first vessel, wherein at least the terminal portion of the flexible fluid path is configured to be inserted into a sample path of the polarizer system in order to produce a hyperpolarized sample when the terminal portion is positioned within the sample path.
A polarizer system, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber;
- a cryogenic cooling system disposed within the vacuum chamber;
- a magnet disposed within the vacuum chamber;
- a sample path extending through the cryogenic cooling system;
- and
- an electro-mechanical assembly configured to control the movement of a fluid path comprising
- a flexible double-walled tube within the sample path, wherein the electromechanical assembly, when in use, moves the fluid path within the sample path in accordance with a pre-configured hyper-polarization protocol in order to produce a dissolved, hyperpolarized material as an output.
A polarizer system capable of hyperpolarizing a material, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber;
- a cryogenic cooling system disposed within the vacuum chamber;
- a magnet disposed within the vacuum chamber;
- a sample path extending through the cryogenic cooling system;
- and
- a flexible flow path extendable into the sample path, comprising:
- a flexible double-walled tube comprising an inner tube and an outer tube;
- and
- a first vessel in fluid communication with only one of the inner tube or the outer tube;
- and
- a second vessel in fluid communication with only whichever of the inner tube or the outer tube is not in fluid communication with the first vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.