Energy storage solution for an MRI system

• US 10,067,203 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ganesh, Jayanti, Sabate, Juan Antonio, Naik, Rajendra, Wiza, Margaret Ann, Kanakasabai, Viswanathan, Rose, Michael Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Houston, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/879,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20170102441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 307 11, 307 18, 324322
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/28 Details of apparatus provided for in groups G01R33/44 - G01R33/64
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/36 Electrical details, e.g. matching or coupling of the coil to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3614 RF power amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3852 Gradient amplifiers; means for controlling the application of a gradient magnetic field to the sample, e.g. a gradient signal synthesizer
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/389 Field stabilisation , e.g. by field measurements and control means or indirectly by current stabilisation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads

Abstract

The present disclosure relates possible implementations for utilizing energy storage elements in conjunction with a MRI system. Similarly, various associated control mechanisms are discussed. In certain embodiments, one or both of peak power shaving or energy backup may be facilitated by use of the energy storage elements. Certain such implementations may facilitate the use of higher-power MRI systems with an existing electrical infrastructure.

Claims

1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system power architecture, comprising:

an AC mains;

a main distribution panel (MDP) connected to the AC mains;

a rectifier having an AC link input and a DC link output;

a power distribution unit (PDU) positioned between the MDP and rectifier;

a plurality of loads connected to the DC link output, wherein the plurality of loads comprises at least a radiofrequency amplifier power supply and a gradient amplifier power supply; and

one or more energy storage elements disposed between the rectifier and the plurality of loads and connected to the DC link output.

2. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 1, wherein the rectifier is a passive rectifier.

3. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 1, further comprising:

a DC/DC isolated or non-isolated converter positioned between the one or more energy storage elements and the DC link output.

4. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 1, further comprising:

a passive front-end HFPDU positioned before the plurality of loads.

5. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 1, wherein the rectifier is an active rectifier.

6. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 1, wherein the one or more energy storage elements comprise one or more of an ultracapacitor, a bulk capacitor bank, a battery or battery bank, or a combination of battery and capacitors.

7. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 1, wherein the plurality of loads further comprises a power supply for an RF transmit chain.

8. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 1, further comprising:

control circuitry for controlling discharge and recharge of the one or more energy storage elements, wherein the control circuitry directs power from the one or more energy storage elements during application of a pulse sequence by the magnetic resonance imaging system and charges the one or more energy storage elements during a non-pulsing period or if a peak demand by the pulse sequence is less than an allowable peak power from the AC link input.

9. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 1, further comprising:

control circuitry for controlling discharge and recharge of the one or more energy storage elements, wherein the control circuitry directs power from the one or more energy storage elements in an event of an outage of the AC mains.

10. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system power architecture, comprising:

a main distribution panel (MDP) configured to receive three-phase AC power and having an AC link output;

a rectifier configured to receive the AC link output and coupled to a DC link;

a plurality of loads connected to the DC link;

one or more energy storage elements connected to the AC link output between the MDP and the rectifier; and

a DC/AC isolated or non-isolated converter positioned between the one or more energy storage elements and the AC link output.

11. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 10, wherein the plurality of loads comprises one or more of a radiofrequency amplifier power supply, a gradient amplifier power supply, or a power supply for an RF transmit chain.

12. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 10, further comprising:

a power distribution unit (PDU) positioned between the MDP and rectifier.

13. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 10, wherein the rectifier is a passive rectifier.

14. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 10, wherein the rectifier is an active rectifier.

15. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 10, further comprising:

a high-frequency power distribution unit (HFPDU) positioned between the MDP and the plurality of loads.

16. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 10, wherein the one or more energy storage elements comprise one or more of an ultracapacitor, a bulk capacitor bank, a battery or battery bank, or a combination of battery and capacitors.

17. A method for providing power to components of a magnetic resonance imaging system, the method comprising:

providing a main distribution panel (MDP) configured to receive three-phase AC power as an input;

providing a plurality of loads comprising at least a radiofrequency amplifier and a gradient amplifier, wherein the plurality of loads is configured to receive DC power;

providing a rectifier positioned between the MDP and the plurality of loads, wherein the rectifier is configured to receive an AC power input directly or indirectly from the MDP and to provide a DC power output directly or indirectly to the plurality of loads; and

providing one or more energy storage elements downstream of the MDP and upstream of the one or more of the plurality of loads, wherein the one or more energy storage elements are not incorporated into the gradient amplifier.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more energy storage elements is configured to provide DC power downstream of the rectifier and upstream of the one or more of the plurality of loads.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more energy storage elements is configured to provide DC power to a DC/AC converter that provides AC power downstream of the MDP and upstream of the rectifier.