THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR COOLING A HEAT GENERATING COMPONENT OF A MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20090120615A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Utturkar, Yogen Vishwas, Arik, Mehmet, Icoz, Tunc, Amm, Bruce Courtney Campbell
• Granted Patent: US 7,812,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/104.110
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/34 Constructional details, e.g. resonators , specially adapted to MR
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3403 Means for cooling of the RF coils, e.g. a refrigerator or a cooling vessel specially adapted for housing an RF coil
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3856 Means for cooling the gradient coils or thermal shielding of the gradient coils

Abstract

A thermal management system for cooling a heat generating component of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatus includes at least one heat pipe having a portion disposed proximate the heat generating component, such as a gradient coil and/or RF coil. When heat is removed from the component, a working fluid in a relatively hotter end of the heat pipe vaporizes and travels toward a relatively colder end of the heat pipe. The colder end may be operatively coupled to a heat sink for removing the heat from the colder end and increase the overall efficiency of the system. The heat pipe may be disposed along a horizontal, a vertical direction and/or along a diagonal of the heat generating component.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for cooling a heat generating component of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatus, the system comprising at least one heat pipe having a first end proximate to the heat generating component of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging apparatus, wherein the first end of the at least one heat pipe removes heat from the heat generating component.

2. A system of claim 1, wherein the heat generating component comprises a gradient coil of the MRI apparatus.

3. A system of claim 1, wherein the at least heat pipe is disposed substantially along one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis of the MRI apparatus.

4. A system of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink for removing heat from a second end of at least heat pipe.

5. A system of claim 4, wherein the heat sink is disposed within a manifold having a coolant passing therethrough.

6. A system of claim 1, wherein the first end of the at least one heat pipe is embedded in an epoxy material.

7. A system of claim 1, further comprising a module made of a thermally conductive material, wherein the at least one heat pipe is mounted on the module.

8. A thermal management system, comprising:

at least one heat pipe having a first end and a second end, the first end of the at least one heat pipe proximate a gradient coil of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatus; and

a heat sink operatively coupled to the at least one heat pipe.

9. A system of claim 8, wherein the at least heat pipe is disposed substantially along one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis of the MRI apparatus.

10. A system of claim 9, wherein the heat sink comprises fins operatively coupled to the second end of at least one heat pipe.

11. A system of claim 8, further comprising a manifold having a coolant passing therethrough.

12. A system of claim 11, wherein the heat sink is disposed within the manifold.

13. A system of claim 11, wherein the second end of the at least one heat pipe is disposed within the manifold.

14. A system of claim 8, wherein the heat sink is located proximate the gradient coil for removing heat therefrom.

15. A thermal management system for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatus comprising at least one heat pipe, wherein the at least one heat pipe further comprises an evaporator section proximate a gradient coil of the MRI apparatus in which heat from the gradient coil produces evaporation in the at least one heat pipe.

16. A system of claim 15, wherein the at least one heat pipe further comprises an adiabatic section being disposed external to the gradient coil in which little or no heat transfer occurs from the at least one heat pipe.

17. A system of claim 16, wherein the at least one heat pipe further comprises a condenser section in which heat from the gradient coil is condensed within the at least one heat pipe.

18. A system of claim 15, wherein the at least heat pipe is disposed substantially along one of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis of the MRI apparatus.

19. A system of claim 15, further comprising a heat sink operatively coupled to the at least one heat pipe.