ENERGY STORAGE SOLUTION FOR AN MRI SYSTEM

• US 20170102441A1
• Filed: 10/09/2015
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ganesh, Jayanti, Wiza, Margaret Ann, Rose, Michael Thomas, Sabate, Juan Antonio, Naik, Rajendra, Kanakasabai, Viswanathan
• Granted Patent: US 10,067,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 input;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. 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.

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

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

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

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

7. 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.

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

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 during application of a pulse sequence by the MRI system and charges the energy storage during a non pulsing period or if the peak demand by the pulse sequence is less than the allowable peak power from the AC link input.

10. 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 the event of an outage of AC power.

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

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

11. 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 and to output 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.

12. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system power architecture of claim 11, wherein the plurality of loads comprise one or more of a radiofrequency amplifier power supply, a gradient amplifier power supply, or a power supply for an RF transmit chain.

13. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system power architecture of claim 11, further comprising:

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

14. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 11, wherein the rectifier is a passive rectifier.

15. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 11, wherein the rectifier is an active rectifier.

17. The magnetic resonance imaging system power architecture of claim 11, 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.

18. 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 are 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 loads, wherein the one or more energy storage elements are not incorporated into the gradient amplifier stage.

19. The method of claim 18, 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 loads.

20. The method of claim 18, 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.