Multi Orientation Cryostats

• US 20130237425A1
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Engineering Limited
• Original Assignee: Tesla Engineering Limited
• Inventors: Leigh, Benjamin David, Nakatsu, Masayuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,812,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 505/163
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1077 Beam delivery systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1081 Rotating beam systems with a specific mechanical construction, e.g. gantries
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/00 Pressure vessels, e.g. gas cylinder, gas tank, replaceable cartridge pressurised apparatus for purposes other than storage, see the relevant subclasses such as A62C, B05B; associated with vehicles, see the appropriate subclass of classes B60 - B64; pressure vessels in general F16J12/00 ; autoclaves B01J3/04; tank vehicles B60P3/22; railway tank wagons for carrying fluent materials B61D5/00; accumulators for supplying fluid under pressure F15B1/04; liquefied gas stoves F24C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 6/02 Quenching; Protection arrangements during quenching protection circuits H02H7/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 6/04 Cooling

Abstract

A multi-orientation cryostat 5 for a superconducting magnet 4 for use in a plurality of orientations. The cryostat 5 comprises a vessel 6 for holding cryogenic liquid and, leading away from the vessel, a quench duct 7 for allowing escape from the vessel of gas generated by boiling of the cryogenic liquid due to quenching of the magnet. The quench duct 7 is sinuous so as to provide at least to differently orientated anti-convection portions 71, each portion for functioning as an anti-convection portion with the cryostat in a respective corresponding orientation.

Claims

1. A multi-orientation cryostat for a superconducting magnet for use in a plurality of orientations, the cryostat comprising a vessel for holding cryogenic liquid and, leading away from the vessel, a quench duct for allowing escape from the vessel of gas generated by boiling of the cryogenic liquid due to quenching of the magnet, wherein the quench duct is sinuous so as to provide at least two differently orientated anti-convection portions, each portion for functioning as an anti-convection portion with the cryostat in a respective corresponding orientation.

2. A multi-orientation cryostat according to claim 1 in which the quench duct comprises more than two anti-convection portions.

3. A multi-orientation cryostat according to claim 1 in which the orientation of at least one of the anti-convection portions is separated by at least 90 degrees from the orientation of at least another one of the anti-convection portions.

4. A multi-orientation cryostat according to claim 1 in which the quench duct has an inlet portion which is arranged to remain above the level of the carried cryogenic liquid in normal operation.

5. A multi-orientation cryostat according to claim 1 in which the multi-orientation cryostat is arranged for use in a first orientation and a second orientation reachable from the first orientation by a rotational transformation, and arranged for use in orientations between the first orientation and the second orientation reachable by execution of part of said rotational transformation from the first orientation.

6. A multi-orientation cryostat according to claim 5 in which a first portion of the quench duct is for acting as an anti-convection portion when the cryostat is in the first orientation and a second portion of the quench duct is for acting as an anti-convection portion when the cryostat is in the second orientation.

7. A multi-orientation cryostat according to claim 1 in which the quench duct includes a continuous bend portions, such as a u-bend portion, or a loop portion, or a spiral bend portion.

8. A multi-orientation cryostat according to claim 7 in which the continuous bend portion turns through at least 90 degrees, preferably in the order of at least 180 degrees.

9. A multi-orientation cryostat according to claim 1 in which the cryostat comprises a single quench duct.

10. A superconducting magnet arrangement comprising a superconducting magnet and multi-orientation cryostat for use in a plurality of orientations, the cryostat comprising a vessel for holding cryogenic liquid and, leading away from the vessel, a quench duct for allowing escape from the vessel of gas generated by boiling of the cryogenic liquid due to quenching of the magnet, wherein the quench duct is sinuous so as to provide at least two differently orientated anti-convection portions, each portion for functioning as an anti-convection portion with the cryostat in a respective corresponding orientation.

11. Medical equipment apparatus comprising a superconducting magnet arrangement comprising a superconducting magnet and multi-orientation cryostat for use in a plurality of orientations, the cryostat comprising a vessel for holding cryogenic liquid and, leading away from the vessel, a quench duct for allowing escape from the vessel of gas generated by boiling of the cryogenic liquid due to quenching of the magnet, wherein the quench duct is sinuous so as to provide at least two differently orientated anti-convection portions, each portion for functioning as an anti-convection portion with the cryostat in a respective corresponding orientation, which superconducting magnet arrangement is mounted for movement relative to a base of the medical equipment apparatus between a first position where the cryostat is in a first orientation and a second position where the cryostat is in a second orientation.

12. Medical equipment apparatus comprising a superconducting magnet arrangement mounted for movement relative to a base of the medical equipment apparatus between a first position and a second position, the superconducting magnet arrangement comprising a superconducting magnet and a cryostat comprising a vessel for holding cryogenic liquid and, leading away from the vessel, a quench duct for allowing escape from the vessel of gas generated by boiling of the cryogenic liquid due to quenching of the magnet, wherein the cryostat is in a first orientation when the magnet arrangement is in the first position and the cryostat is in a second orientation when the magnet arrangement is in the second position and wherein,

the quench duct is sinuous so as to provide at least a first portion and a second portion which are differently orientated from one another in such a way that:

when the cryostat is in the first orientation, the first portion extends upwardly relative to the base of the equipment and has a lower end and an upper end with the lower end closer, in terms of a flow path through the quench duct from the vessel, to the vessel than the upper end; and

when the cryostat is in the second orientation, the second portion extends upwardly relative to the base of the equipment and has a lower end and an upper end with the lower end closer, in terms of a flow path through the quench duct from the vessel, to the vessel than the upper end.