Thermal shield and method for thermally cooling a magnetic resonance imaging system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorLongzhi Jiang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal shield and method for thermally cooling a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system are provided. One thermal shield includes a cooling tube forming a frame. The cooling tube is configured to receive therethrough cryogen fluid from a cryogen vessel of an MRI system. The thermal shield further includes at least one thermal control layer surrounding the frame and together with the frame is configured to provide thermal shielding of the MRI system.
Claims20
A thermal shield for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the thermal shield comprising:
- a cooling tube forming a frame, the cooling tube configured to receive therethrough cryogen fluid from a cryogen vessel of an MRI system;
- and
- at least one thermal control layer, that includes at least one of a continuous cover or a mesh surrounding the frame, the control layer together with the frame defining a wall that is configured to provide thermal shielding of the MRI system.
A magnet system for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, the magnet system comprising:
- a vacuum vessel;
- a cryogen vessel having liquid helium therein, the cryogen vessel within the vacuum vessel;
- a superconducting magnet within the cryogen vessel;
- a coldhead sleeve configured to receive a coldhead for cooling the superconducting magnet, the coldhead sleeve coupled to the vacuum vessel;
- and
- a thermal shield within the vacuum vessel and having the helium vessel therein, the thermal shield comprising a frame formed from a cooling tube and surrounded by a thermal control layer, the cooling tube connected to the cryogen vessel.
A method of manufacturing a thermal shield for a magnet resonance imaging (MRI) system, the method comprising:
- forming a frame from a cooling tube, the cooling tube configured to receive therethrough cryogen fluid from a cryogen vessel of an MRI system;
- and
- coupling at least one thermal control layer, that includes at least one of a continuous cover or a mesh surrounding the frame, the control layer together with the frame defining a wall that is configured to provide thermal shielding of the MRI system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.