CN219305273U - Cooling assembly of magnetic resonance imaging system and magnetic resonance imaging system - Google Patents

Abstract

The application provides a cooling assembly of a magnetic resonance imaging system and the magnetic resonance imaging system. The magnetic resonance imaging system comprises an imaging assembly, a cabinet and a cooling assembly, wherein the cooling assembly comprises a heat exchange device, a mechanical cooling unit and a fan cooling unit, the heat exchange device is communicated with at least one of the cabinet and the imaging assembly, the mechanical cooling unit is communicated with the heat exchange device and can radiate heat for the cabinet and the imaging assembly, and the fan cooling unit is communicated with the mechanical cooling unit through a water pipe and can radiate heat for the mechanical cooling unit.

Description

Cooling assembly of magnetic resonance imaging system and magnetic resonance imaging system

Technical Field

The present utility model relates to medical imaging technology, and more particularly to a magnetic resonance imaging system and cooling assembly therefor.

Background

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging modality that can obtain images of the human body without the use of X-rays or other ionizing radiation. MRI uses magnets with strong magnetic fields to generate the main magnetic field B0. When the region to be imaged of the human body is positioned in the main magnetic field B0, nuclear spins associated with hydrogen nuclei in the human tissue generate polarization, so that the tissue of the region to be imaged macroscopically generates a longitudinal magnetization vector. When the radio frequency magnetic field B1 intersecting the direction of the main magnetic field B0 is applied, the direction of proton rotation is changed, so that the tissue of the region to be imaged macroscopically generates a transverse magnetization vector. After the radio frequency magnetic field B1 is removed, the transverse magnetization vector is attenuated in a spiral shape until the transverse magnetization vector is restored to zero, a free induction attenuation signal is generated in the attenuation process, can be acquired as a magnetic resonance signal, and a tissue image of the part to be imaged can be reconstructed based on the acquired signal. The gradient system is used for transmitting slice selection gradient pulses, phase encoding gradient pulses and frequency encoding gradient pulses (also called readout gradient pulses) to provide three-dimensional position information for the magnetic resonance signals mentioned above for image reconstruction.

During a magnetic resonance imaging scan, a large amount of heat is generated in the cabinet and the gradient coils, and a cooling assembly is usually required to be arranged for the cabinet and the gradient coils, and for hospitals without field water, a cooling assembly is required to be arranged for providing water cooling for the cabinet and the gradient coils, however, the cooling assembly generally comprises a compressor and a refrigerant, and maintenance personnel with special qualification are required for maintenance and replacement of the compressor, filling of the refrigerant and the like to operate, which also increases the difficulty and cost of maintenance.

Disclosure of Invention

The utility model provides a magnetic resonance imaging system and a cooling assembly of the magnetic resonance imaging system.

An exemplary embodiment of the present utility model provides a cooling assembly of a magnetic resonance imaging system, the magnetic resonance imaging system including an imaging assembly, a cabinet, and the cooling assembly, the cooling assembly including a heat exchange device, a mechanical cooling unit, and a fan cooling unit, the heat exchange device being in communication with at least one of the cabinet and the imaging assembly, the mechanical cooling unit being in communication with the heat exchange device and capable of dissipating heat from the cabinet and the imaging assembly, the fan cooling unit being in communication with the mechanical cooling unit via a water pipe and capable of dissipating heat from the mechanical cooling unit.

The exemplary embodiment of the utility model also provides a magnetic resonance imaging system, which comprises an imaging assembly, a cabinet and a cooling assembly, wherein the cooling assembly comprises a heat exchange device, a mechanical cooling unit and a fan cooling unit, the heat exchange device is communicated with at least one of the cabinet and the imaging assembly, the mechanical cooling unit is communicated with the heat exchange device and can radiate heat for the cabinet and the imaging assembly, and the fan cooling unit is communicated with the mechanical cooling unit through a water pipe and can radiate heat for the mechanical cooling unit.

Other features and aspects will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the claims.

Drawings

The utility model may be better understood by describing exemplary embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic resonance imaging system according to some embodiments of the present utility model;

figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic resonance imaging system according to further embodiments of the present utility model;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a cooling assembly according to some embodiments of the utility model;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the cooling assembly of FIG. 3 in a first application scenario; and

fig. 5 is a schematic view of the cooling assembly shown in fig. 3 in a second application scenario.

Detailed Description

In the following, specific embodiments of the present utility model will be described, and it should be noted that in the course of the detailed description of these embodiments, it is not possible in the present specification to describe all features of an actual embodiment in detail for the sake of brevity. It should be appreciated that in the actual implementation of any of the implementations, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that while such a development effort might be complex and lengthy, it would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, or manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure, and thus should not be construed as having the benefit of this disclosure.

Unless defined otherwise, technical or scientific terms used in the claims and specification should be given the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this utility model belongs. The terms "first," "second," and the like in the description and in the claims, are not used for any order, quantity, or importance, but are used for distinguishing between different elements. The terms "a" or "an" and the like do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one. The word "comprising" or "comprises", and the like, is intended to mean that elements or items that are immediately preceding the word "comprising" or "comprising", are included in the word "comprising" or "comprising", and equivalents thereof, without excluding other elements or items. The terms "connected" or "connected," and the like, are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, nor to direct or indirect connections.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a magnetic resonance imaging MRI system 100 according to some embodiments of the present utility model. As shown in fig. 1, MRI system 100 includes an imaging assembly 110, a cabinet 120, and a cooling assembly 130. The above-described MRI system 100 is described as only one example, and in other embodiments, the MRI system 100 may have various transformation forms as long as image data can be acquired from a detected object.

The imaging assembly 110 may be used to acquire data of the object 116 to be detected, and the imaging assembly 110 may include a main magnet 111, a radio frequency transmit coil 112, a radio frequency receive coil 119, and a gradient coil system 117.

Specifically, the main magnet 111 generally includes, for example, a ring-shaped superconducting magnet mounted in a ring-shaped vacuum vessel. The annular superconducting magnet defines a cylindrical space, i.e., a scan volume (bore), around the object 116 under examination. The main magnet 111 may generate a constant main magnetic field, such as a main magnetic field B0, in the Z direction of the cylindrical space. The MRI system 100 emits a magnetostatic pulse signal to the detected object 116 placed in the imaging space using the formed main magnetic field B0, so that precession of protons within the detected object 116 is ordered, generating a longitudinal magnetization vector.

The imaging assembly 110 further includes a radio frequency transmit chain (not shown) including a frequency synthesizer, a radio frequency amplifier, and a transmit/receive (T/R) switch. The frequency synthesizer is configured to generate a radio frequency pulse, where the radio frequency pulse may include a radio frequency excitation pulse, and the radio frequency excitation pulse is amplified by a radio frequency amplifier and applied to the radio frequency transmitting coil 112 through the T/R switch, so that the radio frequency transmitting coil 112 transmits a radio frequency magnetic field B1 orthogonal to the main magnetic field B0 to the detected object 116 to excite nuclei in the detected object 116, and the longitudinal magnetization vector is converted into a transverse magnetization vector. When the rf excitation pulse is over, a free induction decay signal, i.e., a magnetic resonance signal that can be acquired, is generated during the gradual return of the transverse magnetization vector of the detected object 116 to zero.

The radio frequency transmit coil 112 may be a body coil that may be coupled to a T/R switch that is controlled to switch the body coil between transmit and receive modes in which the body coil may be used to receive magnetic resonance signals from the subject 116. In addition, the radio frequency transmit coil 112 may also be a local coil, such as a head coil.

In some embodiments, the radio frequency transmit coil is not limited to the body coil and the local coil mentioned in the present application, but may include other various suitable coil types, and the radio frequency receive coil is not limited to the body coil, the local coil, and the surface coil mentioned in the present application, but may also include other various suitable coil types.

The gradient coil system 117 forms magnetic field gradients in the imaging volume to provide three-dimensional positional information for the magnetic resonance signals. The magnetic resonance signals may be received by a radio frequency receive coil 119 or a body coil or local coil in receive mode, and the processor may process the received magnetic resonance signals to obtain the desired image or image data.

In particular, the gradient coil system 117 may include three gradient coils, each of which generates a gradient magnetic field tilted into one of three spatial axes (e.g., an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis) perpendicular to each other, and generates a gradient field in each of a slice selection direction, a phase encoding direction, and a frequency encoding direction according to imaging conditions. More specifically, the gradient coil system 117 applies a gradient field in a slice selection direction of the detected object 116 in order to select a slice; and the rf transmit coil 112 transmits rf excitation pulses to and excites a selected slice of the object 116. The gradient coil system 117 also applies gradient fields in the phase encoding direction of the object 116 to phase encode the magnetic resonance signals of the excited slices. The gradient coil system 117 then applies gradient fields in the frequency encoding direction of the object 116 to frequency encode the magnetic resonance signals of the excited slices.

A processor (not shown) may be included in the cabinet 120, with the cabinet 120 or the processor being communicatively coupled to the imaging assembly 110 for controlling the operation of the imaging assembly 110. Further, the processor may be capable of processing, e.g., amplifying, analog-to-digital converting, etc., the acquired or received magnetic resonance signals and performing operations, reconstruction, etc., on the processed digitized magnetic resonance signals to obtain medical images.

The processor may include a computer and a storage medium for storing a program executable by the computer, which when executed by the computer, may cause the various components of the imaging assembly 110 to perform operations corresponding to the imaging sequence. Predetermined data processing may also be performed. In some embodiments, the processor may obtain corresponding system state parameters, such as center frequency and its variation, etc., during execution of the imaging sequence.

The processor may be arranged and/or disposed to be used in different ways. For example, in some implementations, a single processor may be used; in other implementations, multiple processors are configured to work together (e.g., based on a distributed processing configuration) or individually, each processor configured to process specific aspects and/or functions, and/or to process data for generating models for only specific medical imaging systems. In some implementations, the processor may be local (e.g., co-located with one or more medical imaging systems 100, e.g., within the same facility and/or the same local network); in other implementations, the processor may be remote, and thus accessible only via a remote connection (e.g., via the internet or other available remote access technology). In particular implementations, the processor may be configured in a cloud-like manner and may be accessed and/or used in a manner substantially similar to the manner in which other cloud-based systems are accessed and used.

In some embodiments, the system 100 may be connected to one or more display units, cloud networks, printers, workstations, and/or similar devices located locally or remotely via one or more configurable wired and/or wireless networks, such as the internet and/or a virtual private network.

During the scanning process of the magnetic resonance imaging system, the temperature of the magnetic resonance imaging system, especially the temperature of the gradient system, is obviously increased, and the increase of the temperature of the system can bring about a series of effects, so that the quality of the reconstructed image is reduced, for example, artifacts and the like are generated. Thus, the magnetic resonance imaging system further comprises a cooling assembly 130, the cooling assembly 130 being connected to the imaging assembly 110 and the cabinet 120 and being adapted to dissipate heat from the imaging assembly 110 and the cabinet 120.

Specifically, the Cooling assembly 130 includes a heat exchanging device 131, a mechanical Cooling Unit (Mechanical Cooling Unit, MCU) 132, and a Fan Cooling Unit (FCU) 133, wherein the heat exchanging device 131 is in communication with at least one of the cabinet 120 and the imaging assembly 110, the heat exchanging device 131 is capable of transferring heat from the imaging assembly and/or the cabinet to the mechanical Cooling Unit 132, the mechanical Cooling Unit 132 is in communication with the heat exchanging device 131, a refrigerant is disposed in the mechanical Cooling Unit and is capable of dissipating heat from the imaging assembly 110 and/or the cabinet 120, and the Fan Cooling Unit 133 is in communication with the mechanical Cooling Unit 132 through a water pipe and is capable of dissipating heat from the mechanical Cooling Unit 132.

In some embodiments, the refrigerant in the mechanical cooling unit 132 is sealed inside the mechanical cooling unit 132, the mechanical cooling unit 132 includes a plurality of external ports or connectors for connecting water pipes to connect with the fan cooling unit 133 and the heat exchanging device 131, and in particular, the mechanical cooling unit 132 includes 4 connection ports, two of which are for connecting with the fan cooling unit 133 through water pipes, and the other two of which are for connecting with the heat exchanging device 131 through water pipes. In some non-limiting embodiments, the mechanical cooling unit 132 and the fan cooling unit 133 are connected by a hose, and the hose is used for fluid communication, so that the mechanical cooling unit can be replaced on site conveniently.

By sealing the refrigerant in the mechanical cooling unit inside, the mechanical cooling unit 132 and the fan cooling unit 133 may be connected only by a water pipe, and thus, the mechanical cooling unit 132 and the fan cooling unit 133 may be arranged at a distance.

In some non-limiting embodiments, the heat exchanging arrangement 131 and the mechanical cooling unit 132 are installed in a cooling cabinet to achieve a compact design, while the fan cooling unit 133 can be installed indoors or outdoors, the installation location of which is not limited.

In some non-limiting embodiments, the components of the mechanical cooling unit 132 are assembled together, and the mechanical cooling unit 132 includes an assembled housing with a bottom provided with a moving wheel to facilitate movement of the mechanical cooling unit, easy removal from or into a cooling cabinet, and field replacement.

Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a magnetic resonance imaging system of further embodiments of the present utility model. As shown in fig. 2, unlike the magnetic resonance imaging system 100 shown in fig. 1, the cooling assembly 230 in the magnetic resonance imaging system 200 shown in fig. 2 only includes the heat exchanging device 131, and the heat exchanging device 131 is directly connected to the site water 234 to dissipate heat or cool the imaging assembly 110 and the cabinet 120 through the site water 234.

The site water refers to central cold water installed in a hospital or a research and development center, and can directly cool heat transferred by the heat exchange device.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a cooling device 300 in the magnetic resonance imaging system shown in fig. 1 and 2, as shown in fig. 3, the cooling device 300 comprises a heat exchanging device 310, a mechanical cooling unit 320 and a fan cooling unit 330.

Specifically, the mechanical cooling unit 320 includes a first set of connectors or connection ports C1 and C2, and a second set of connectors or connection ports C3 and C4, and the fan cooling unit 330 may be connected to the mechanical cooling unit 320 by being connected to the connection ports C1 and C2 through a water pipe, and the heat exchanging device 310 may be connected to the mechanical cooling unit 320 by being connected to the connection ports C3 and C4 through a water pipe.

In some embodiments, the mechanical cooling unit 320 includes a refrigerant (not shown) therein, which is sealed inside the mechanical cooling unit 320 in order to facilitate maintenance and replacement of the mechanical cooling unit 320. Specifically, the mechanical cooling unit 320 includes a first heat exchange unit 321 and a second heat exchange unit 322, wherein a first side of the first heat exchange unit 321 is connected with the fan cooling unit 330, a second side of the second heat exchange unit 322 is connected with the heat exchange device 310, and a refrigerant is disposed between the second side of the first heat exchange unit 321 and the first side of the second heat exchange unit 322.

In some embodiments, although only a portion of the components of the mechanical cooling unit are shown, the mechanical cooling unit 132 further includes components such as compressors, evaporators, expansion valves, condensers, communication piping, and the like.

Specifically, the fluid entering the mechanical cooling unit is heat-exchanged to the inside through the second heat exchange unit 322, and the fluid can be cooled by the evaporator, and the refrigerant can enter the evaporator to exchange heat while the fluid enters the evaporator to be cooled, thereby removing heat from the fluid. The compressor can compress the low-temperature low-pressure gaseous refrigerant into high-temperature high-pressure gaseous refrigerant and then into the condenser. The high-temperature high-pressure gaseous refrigerant is condensed into low-temperature high-pressure liquid refrigerant by releasing heat in the condenser, and then the low-temperature high-pressure liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator through the expansion valve. In the evaporator, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the fluid in the evaporator to evaporate into a gaseous refrigerant, which then enters the compressor for further cycles. While the refrigerant is cooled by the heat released from the condenser, heat exchange is performed by the first heat exchange unit 321, and the heat released from the refrigerant is taken away by the fan cooling unit 330.

In some embodiments, the mechanical cooling unit 320 may further include a water pump P0, the water pump P0 being connected to the first side of the first heat exchange unit, which can be used to circulate fluid between the mechanical cooling unit and the fan cooling unit to remove heat by the fan. In other embodiments, the water pump P0 is not integrated in the mechanical cooling unit, but is mounted on a water pipe connected between the mechanical cooling unit and the fan cooling unit, for example, adjacent to the connection ports C2 and C1. In still other embodiments, the water pump P0 is installed in the fan cooling unit. The position of the water pump between the mechanical cooling unit and the fan cooling unit is not fixed, and the water pump may be installed in the mechanical cooling unit, the fan cooling unit, or between the two water pipes.

By sealing the refrigerant inside the mechanical cooling unit 320, i.e. between adjacent sides of two heat exchanging units, it is possible to connect the mechanical cooling unit 320 and the fan cooling unit 330 by means of a water pipe, so that the mechanical cooling unit 320 becomes a modular assembly, on the one hand, when the mechanical cooling unit 320 needs to be repaired or replaced, a new mechanical cooling unit can be directly replaced without having to hold a proprietary licensed serviceman for filling of the refrigerant or replacement of the compressor, etc., and on the other hand, the mechanical cooling unit 320 and the fan cooling unit 330 do not need to be placed or mounted together, and a certain distance can be left between them, which can achieve a compact design of placing the heat exchanging device 310 and the mechanical cooling unit 320 together in the cooling cabinet, saving space.

In some embodiments, the fan cooling unit 330 includes a fan, a heat exchange unit, a connection conduit, a plurality of connectors or connection ports, and the like. The fan cooling unit 330 can discharge heat from the mechanical cooling unit 320 by a fan. In some embodiments, the fan cooling unit 330 may be located outdoors or indoors where its installation site does not affect the overall function of the cooling assembly.

In some embodiments, the heat exchange device 310 has a first connection loop L1 and a second connection loop L2 for connecting the imaging assembly and the cabinet, respectively, e.g., the first connection loop L1 is for connecting with the imaging assembly for dissipating heat from the imaging assembly and the second connection loop L2 is for connecting with the cabinet for dissipating heat from the cabinet. In some embodiments, the first connection loop L1 and the second connection loop L2 are identical in structure, and may be connected to the first heat dissipation loop and the second heat dissipation loop, and of course, the first connection loop L1 may be configured to connect to a cabinet, and the second connection loop L2 may be configured to connect to an imaging assembly.

Although two connection loops are shown, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any number of connection loops may be provided, for example, only one connection loop may be provided for heat dissipation to an imaging assembly or cabinet, although three or more connection loops may be provided for heat dissipation to more devices, for example, to other components in a magnetic resonance imaging system, or to components in other medical imaging equipment.

In some embodiments, the heat exchange device 310 includes a first set of ports 311 and a second set of ports 312, the first set of ports 311 are configured to connect with the mechanical cooling unit 320 through the second set of connection ports C3 and C4, and the heat exchange device 310 is configured to connect with the mechanical cooling unit 320 through a water pipe, and the second set of ports 312 are configured to connect directly with the site water through a water pipe. Specifically, for example, in the magnetic resonance imaging system shown in fig. 1 and in the absence of field water, the first set of ports of the heat exchange device is connected to the mechanical cooling unit, the second set of ports is empty (e.g., the left port of the heat exchange device shown in fig. 1), in the magnetic resonance imaging system shown in fig. 2 and in the presence of field water, the second set of ports of the heat exchange device is connected to the mechanical cooling unit, and the first set of ports is empty (e.g., the lower port of the heat exchange device shown in fig. 2).

The heat exchanging arrangement 310 comprises a third heat exchanging unit 313, a first side of the third heat exchanging unit 313 constituting a second set of ports 312, the second side being connected to the cabinet and/or the imaging assembly, the first side of the third heat exchanging unit 313 being connected to the field water, which is capable of heat exchanging heat from the imaging assembly and/or the cabinet to the field water for heat dissipation, the third heat exchanging unit 313 being bypassed when the field water is absent from the environment in which the magnetic resonance imaging system is located.

Accordingly, the cooling device 300 includes a first heat dissipation circuit cooled by the mechanical cooling unit 320 and the fan cooling unit 330, i.e., the embodiment shown in fig. 1, and a second heat dissipation circuit cooled by the site water, i.e., the embodiment shown in fig. 2.

The heat exchange device 310 further includes a first set of switches 314 disposed in the first heat dissipation circuit and a second set of switches 315 disposed in the second heat dissipation circuit, where switching of the first set of switches 314 and the second set of switches 315 can control the operation of the first heat dissipation circuit or the second heat dissipation circuit.

Specifically, the first set of switches 314 includes a first switch V1, a second switch V2, and a third switch V3, where the first switch V1 and the second switch V2 are connected in parallel, the third switch V3 is connected between a second end of the first switch and a second end of the second switch, and a first end of the first switch V1 and a first end of the second switch V2 form a first set of ports 311 of the heat exchange device 310, and a first end of the first switch V1 and a first end of the second switch V2 are connected with the mechanical cooling unit 320, respectively.

The second group of switches 315 includes a fourth switch V4, a fifth switch V5 and a sixth switch V6, wherein the fourth switch V4 and the fifth switch V5 are connected in parallel, the sixth switch V6 is connected between the second end of the fourth switch V4 and the second end of the fifth switch V5, and the first end of the fourth switch V4 and the first end of the fifth switch V5 are connected with the third heat exchanging unit 313, respectively.

The cooling assembly further comprises a controller (not shown) disposed in the same cooling cabinet as the heat exchange device and the mechanical cooling unit, the controller being capable of controlling the first set of switches 314 and the second set of switches 315 to select either the first heat dissipation circuit or the second heat dissipation circuit.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the cooling assembly shown in fig. 3 in a first application scenario, as shown in fig. 4, when there is no field water in the environment where the magnetic resonance imaging system is located, the controller may control the first switch V1 and the second switch V2 in the first switch set to be turned on, and the third switch V3 to be turned off, and simultaneously control the fourth switch V4 and the fifth switch V5 in the second switch set to be turned off, and the sixth switch V6 to be turned on, so that the first cooling loop works, that is, heat may reach the imaging assembly connected from the first connection loop L1, or the cabinet connected from the first connection loop L1, reach the mechanical cooling unit 320 via the sixth switch V6, the first switch V1, the connection port C3, and perform heat dissipation through the second heat exchange unit 322 and the first heat exchange unit 330 via the fan cooling unit 330, then pass through the connection port C4, the second switch V2, and then enter the first connection loop S and the second connection loop S, that is capable of performing heat dissipation through the first pump S2, the first connection loop, the second connection loop S2, that is capable of performing heat dissipation through the first connection loop, the first pump S2, or the cabinet connected from the first connection loop L1. The third heat exchange unit is disabled by turning off the fourth switch and the fifth switch.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic diagram of the cooling assembly shown in fig. 3 in a second application scenario, as shown in fig. 5, when there is field water in the environment where the magnetic resonance imaging system is located, there is no need to install a cooling mechanical unit and a fan cooling unit, and the controller can enable the second heat dissipation loop to operate by controlling the first set of switches and the second set of switches. Specifically, the controller can control the first switch V1 and the second switch V2 in the first group of switches to be turned off, the third switch V3 to be turned on, and simultaneously control the fourth switch V4 and the fifth switch V5 in the second group of switches to be turned on, and the sixth switch V6 to be turned off, so that the second heat dissipation circuit works, that is, heat reaches the third heat exchange unit 313 through the fourth switch V4, the third heat exchange unit 313 dissipates heat through the field water, then passes through the fifth switch V5 and the third switch V3, and then enters the first connection circuit and the second connection circuit, for example, reaches the imaging component connected to the first connection circuit through the mixing valve S1 and the water pump P1, or reaches the cabinet connected to the second connection circuit L2 through the mixing valve S2 and the water pump P2, that is, the heat of the cabinet and the imaging component is cooled through the second heat dissipation circuit.

Through setting up controller and two sets of switches for need not change heat transfer device's structure or design, can compatible cooling function under the two circumstances of having place water and not having place water simultaneously, when there is place water, need not additionally install mechanical cooling unit and fan cooling unit, when there is not place water, bypass third heat transfer unit, and dispel the heat through mechanical cooling unit and fan cooling unit, same heat transfer device is applicable to above-mentioned two kinds of service scenario.

In order to maintain the superconductivity of the magnet, liquid helium needs to be provided for the main magnet, a liquid helium compressor is generally required to provide liquid helium for the imaging assembly, and heat dissipation of the liquid helium compressor also needs to be achieved through the cooling assembly.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 4, when there is no field water in the environment where the magnetic resonance imaging system is located, the liquid helium compressor needs to dissipate heat through the first heat dissipation loop, that is, the mechanical cooling unit and the fan cooling unit, and the heat exchange device 310 further includes a third connection loop L3, where the third connection loop L3 is used to connect the liquid helium compressor, and the controller controls the sixth switch, the first switch, and the second switch to be turned on, and the other switches to be turned off, so as to cool the liquid helium compressor through the first heat dissipation loop.

In some embodiments, the third connection loop L3 is connected in parallel to the second connection loop L2, sharing the mixing valve S2 and the water pump P2 with the second connection loop. Although the third connection loop L3 is shown in fig. 4 to be connected in parallel to the second connection loop L2, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the third connection loop L3 may be connected in parallel to the first connection loop L1 to share the mixing valve S1 and the water pump P1 with the first connection loop. In some non-limiting embodiments, because the cabinet has a higher heat dissipation requirement than the imaging assembly, the frequency or pressure of the water pump in the connection loop connected to the cabinet is higher, and therefore, when the heat dissipation requirement of the liquid helium compressor is also relatively higher, the third connection loop for connecting the liquid helium compressor is connected in parallel with the connection loop connected to the cabinet, and the efficiency of the entire cooling assembly is also higher.

In other embodiments, as shown in fig. 5, when the environment where the magnetic resonance imaging system is located is where the site water exists, the liquid helium compressor needs to dissipate heat through the second heat dissipation loop, that is, the site water, then the liquid helium compressor and the heat exchange assembly are jointly arranged or installed in the cooling cabinet, and the liquid helium compressor and the heat exchange assembly are both connected with the site water, that is, the liquid helium compressor is directly cooled through the site water.

In summary, in the cooling assembly of the magnetic resonance imaging system according to some embodiments of the present utility model, the heat exchange unit and the two sets of switches are disposed in the heat exchange device, so that the same heat exchange device can use the cooling requirements under the two conditions of presence of field water and absence of field water at the same time, without changing the structure or design of the heat exchange device; moreover, by modularizing the mechanical cooling unit, the coolant is sealed between the adjacent sides of the two heat exchange units, and the outer sides of the two heat exchange units can be directly connected with the fan cooling unit and the heat exchange device through the water pipe, so that the whole mechanical cooling unit can be replaced, and the problems of filling the coolant, maintaining the compressor and the like are solved; secondly, by sealing the refrigerant of the mechanical cooling unit inside and connecting the mechanical cooling unit with the fan cooling unit through a water pipe, the mechanical cooling unit is not necessarily arranged at the same position as the fan cooling unit, and can be separated by a certain distance, for example, the mechanical cooling unit and the heat exchange device are arranged in a cooling cabinet, and the fan cooling unit is arranged outdoors, so that the space is saved.

A cooling assembly of a magnetic resonance imaging system according to some embodiments of the present utility model, the magnetic resonance imaging system comprising an imaging assembly, a cabinet and the cooling assembly, the cooling assembly comprising a heat exchange device, a mechanical cooling unit and a fan cooling unit, the heat exchange device being in communication with at least one of the cabinet and the imaging assembly, the mechanical cooling unit being in communication with the heat exchange device and being capable of dissipating heat from the cabinet and the imaging assembly, the fan cooling unit being in communication with the mechanical cooling unit via a water pipe and being capable of dissipating heat from the mechanical cooling unit.

Specifically, a refrigerant is provided in the mechanical cooling unit, and the refrigerant is sealed inside the mechanical cooling unit.

In particular, the heat exchange device and the mechanical cooling unit are mounted in a cooling cabinet.

Specifically, the mechanical cooling unit comprises a first heat exchange unit and a second heat exchange unit, wherein a first side of the first heat exchange unit is connected with the fan cooling unit, a second side of the second heat exchange unit is connected with the heat exchange device, and a refrigerant is arranged between the second side of the first heat exchange unit and the first side of the second heat exchange unit.

Specifically, the heat exchange device comprises a first group of ports and a second group of ports, wherein the first group of ports are used for being connected with the mechanical cooling unit, the second group of ports are used for being connected with site water, and the cooling assembly comprises a first heat dissipation loop passing through the mechanical cooling unit and a second heat dissipation loop passing through the site water.

Specifically, the heat exchange device comprises a third heat exchange unit, wherein the first side of the third heat exchange unit is provided with the second group of ports, and the second side of the third heat exchange unit is connected with the cabinet and the imaging assembly.

Specifically, the heat exchange device further comprises a first group of switches arranged in the first heat dissipation loop and a second group of switches arranged in the second heat dissipation loop, and the switching of the first group of switches and the second group of switches can control the first heat dissipation loop or the second heat dissipation loop to work.

In particular, the cooling assembly further includes a controller capable of controlling the first set of switches and the second set of switches to select the first heat dissipation loop or the second heat dissipation loop.

Specifically, the magnetic resonance system further includes a liquid helium compressor that provides liquid helium to the imaging assembly, and the cooling assembly is in communication with and dissipates heat from the liquid helium compressor.

According to some embodiments of the present utility model, a magnetic resonance imaging system includes an imaging assembly, a cabinet, and a cooling assembly including a heat exchange device, a mechanical cooling unit, and a fan cooling unit, the heat exchange device being in communication with at least one of the cabinet and the imaging assembly, the mechanical cooling unit being in communication with the heat exchange device and capable of dissipating heat from the cabinet and the imaging assembly, the fan cooling unit being in communication with the mechanical cooling unit via a water pipe and capable of dissipating heat from the mechanical cooling unit.

Some exemplary embodiments have been described above, however, it should be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques were performed in a different order and/or if components in the described systems, architectures, devices or circuits were combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by additional components or equivalents thereof. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (10)

1. A cooling assembly for a magnetic resonance imaging system, the magnetic resonance imaging system comprising an imaging assembly, a cabinet and the cooling assembly, the cooling assembly comprising:

a heat exchange device in communication with at least one of the cabinet and the imaging assembly;

a mechanical cooling unit in communication with the heat exchange device and capable of dissipating heat from at least one of the cabinet and the imaging assembly transferred through the heat exchange device; and

and the fan cooling unit is communicated with the mechanical cooling unit through a water pipe and can radiate heat to the mechanical cooling unit.

2. The cooling assembly of the magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 1, wherein a refrigerant is disposed in the mechanical cooling unit and the refrigerant is sealed inside the mechanical cooling unit.

3. The cooling assembly of the magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 2, wherein the heat exchange device and the mechanical cooling unit are mounted in a cooling cabinet.

4. The cooling assembly of the magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 2, wherein the mechanical cooling unit comprises a first heat exchange unit and a second heat exchange unit, a first side of the first heat exchange unit being connected to the fan cooling unit, a second side of the second heat exchange unit being connected to the heat exchange device, a refrigerant being disposed between the second side of the first heat exchange unit and the first side of the second heat exchange unit.

5. The cooling assembly of a magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange device comprises a first set of ports for connecting the mechanical cooling unit and a second set of ports for connecting field water, the cooling assembly comprising a first heat dissipation circuit through the mechanical cooling unit and a second heat dissipation circuit through the field water.

6. The cooling assembly of the magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 5, wherein the heat exchange device comprises a third heat exchange unit having a first side of the second set of ports, the second side being coupled to the cabinet and the imaging assembly.

7. The cooling assembly of the magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 5, wherein the heat exchange device further comprises a first set of switches disposed in the first heat dissipation circuit and a second set of switches disposed in the second heat dissipation circuit, the switching of the first set of switches and the second set of switches being capable of controlling the operation of the first heat dissipation circuit or the second heat dissipation circuit.

8. The cooling assembly of the magnetic resonance imaging system of claim 7, further comprising a controller capable of controlling the first set of switches and the second set of switches to select the first cooling loop or the second cooling loop.

9. A cooling assembly for a magnetic resonance imaging system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a liquid helium compressor that provides liquid helium to the imaging assembly, the cooling assembly being in communication with and rejecting heat from the liquid helium compressor.

10. A magnetic resonance imaging system, characterized in that the magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a cooling assembly of the magnetic resonance imaging system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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