A magnetic resonance system may include a magnetic resonance magnet and a storage container configured to accommodate the magnetic resonance magnet. The storage container may also contain an endothermic liquid. The magnetic resonance system may further include a ramping-down device configured to trigger releasing electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet. The first ramping-down device may include an electric energy consumption device configured to consume at least a portion of the released electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet.

Systems and methods for rapidly ramping the magnetic field of a superconducting magnet, such as a superconducting magnet adapted for use in a magnetic resonance imaging system, are provided. The magnetic field can be rapidly ramped up or down by changing the current density in the superconducting magnet while monitoring and controlling the superconducting magnet's temperature to remain below a transition temperature. A superconducting switch is used to connect the superconducting magnet and a power supply in a connected circuit. The current generated by the power supply is then adjusted to increase or decrease the current density in the superconducting magnet to respectively ramp up or ramp down the magnetic field strength in a controlled manner. The ramp rate at which the magnetic field strength is changed is determined and optimized based on the operating parameters of the superconducting magnet and the current being generated by the power supply.

A charging and field supplement circuit for superconducting magnets based on a pulsed current includes a capacitor charging circuit, an energy-storage capacitor, a capacitor discharging circuit, a superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit, and a superconducting persistent-current switch. Two output ends of the capacitor charging circuit are respectively connected to two ends of the energy-storage capacitor. Two input ends of the capacitor discharging circuit are respectively connected to the two ends of the energy-storage capacitor. Two output ends of the capacitor discharging circuit are respectively connected to two input ends of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit. Two output ends of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit are respectively connected to two input ends of the superconducting persistent-current switch. Two output ends of the superconducting persistent-current switch are configured to charge and magnetize a target superconducting magnet.

A persistent current switch system is presented. One embodiment of the persistent current switch system includes a vacuum chamber having a winding unit and dual cooling paths. The dual cooling paths are configured to circulate a coolant flow. The dual cooling paths are defined by a first cooling path and a second cooling path. The first cooling path includes a solid thermal component disposed in direct contact with the winding unit and the second cooling path includes a cooling tube disposed in direct contact with the winding unit and configured to circulate a coolant therein. The dual cooling paths cool the temperature of the winding unit below the threshold temperature to transition the persistent current switch system from the first mode to the second mode. A method of for cooling a winding unit in a persistent current switch system and a switching system including dual cooling paths are also disclosed.

A superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) for mobile applications comprising: a superconducting flux transformer having a pickup coil and an input coil, wherein the input coil is inductively coupled to a Josephson junction; a resistive element connected in series between the pickup coil and the input coil so as to function as a high pass filter such that direct current (DC) bias current is prevented from flowing through the input coil; and a flux bias circuit electrically connected in parallel to the superconducting flux transformer between the pickup coil and the input coil so as to reduce motion-induced noise.

A superconducting magnet arrangement comprises a field coil assembly with coil windings that when in operation are electrically superconducting. The field coil assembly is circuited between connection ports for a voltage supply. A switching module switches a sub-section of the field coil assembly's coil windings between its electrical superconducting and electrical resistive states, said sub-section forming a switching coil circuited between the connection ports. In the operational state where both the switching coil and the field coil(s) are superconducting and carry a permanent electrical current, the field coil(s) and the switching coil together generate a stationary magnetic field. According to the invention the switch windings give a significant contribution to the magnetic field. The field coil assembly's coil windings that may be switched between it electrically superconducting and resistive states form the switching coil. That is, the switching coil forms part of the field coil assembly and contributes significantly to the magnetic field generated by the field coil assembly.

A magnetic resonance system may include a magnetic resonance magnet and a storage container configured to accommodate the magnetic resonance magnet. The storage container may also contain an endothermic liquid. The magnetic resonance system may further include a ramping-down device configured to trigger releasing electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet. The first ramping-down device may include an electric energy consumption device configured to consume at least a portion of the released electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet.

There is described a magnet assembly comprising a superconducting coil, a cryogenic system, a DC voltage source, an SMPS, current leads, and a controller. The cryogenic system comprises a cryostat and is configured to maintain the superconducting coil at an operating temperature below the critical temperature of the superconductor. The DC voltage is source located outside the cryostat. The SMPS is located inside the cryostat and configured to supply power from the DC voltage source to the superconducting coil. The SMPS comprises a voltage step-down transformer having a primary and a secondary winding. The current leads connect the DC voltage source to the SMPS. The controller is configured to cause the SMPS to supply a first amount of power to the magnet in order to ramp up the magnet to operating current, and a second amount of power to the magnet during steady state operation of the magnet, wherein the first amount of power is greater than the second amount of power.

An electromagnetic pulse source comprises a superconducting magnet comprising a coil of superconducting material. At least a portion of the windings of the coil are separated by an electric conductor. A charging circuit is coupled to the two terminals to drive a current through the coil to charge the superconducting magnet and configured to charge the coil to a condition such that the coil enters a quench condition where current flows from one turn of the coil to another turn of the coil through the electric conductor. The quench event may cause a loss of inductance and resulting electromagnetic radiation. A receiver circuit comprising an inductive element is positioned so that the inductive element is mutually-coupled to the coil and the electromagnetic radiation causes a voltage to be induced across the inductive element.

A magnetic resonance system may include a magnetic resonance magnet and a storage container configured to accommodate the magnetic resonance magnet. The storage container may also contain an endothermic liquid. The magnetic resonance system may further include a ramping-down device configured to trigger releasing electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet. The first ramping-down device may include an electric energy consumption device configured to consume at least a portion of the released electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet.