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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines are a powerful non-invasive diagnostic tool. While operating, an MRI system generates considerable heat that must be removed to protect the machine's superconducting magnet. An MRI chiller is central to this task.
Liquid helium has a temperature of -270 °C and is used in most MRI machines to enable the magnet's superconducting property. Without using an MRI chiller to keep the system cool, the helium would evaporate and leak, resulting in irreparable damage to the magnet.
MRI chillers use water or a water:glycol mixture as a coolant, and any contamination in the fluid can reduce the unit's cooling efficiency. Conductivity sensors are an excellent way of detecting contamination in fluids, but measuring conductivity in high purity loops such as those in an MRI chiller requires highly capable sensors.
This application note looks at METTLER TOLEDO Thornton's advanced UniCond digital conductivity sensors and explains why there are so well suited for this task.
A fault in an MRI chiller can lead to downtime and possible catastrophic damage to the MRI machine's magnet. Monitoring flow in the coolant loop is an excellent way of detecting leaks, but for detecting contamination, a conductivity sensor must be able to monitor contamination in cooling liquids, including water and water:glycol solutions all the way up to 100% glycol.
UniCond conductivity sensors have an exceptionally wide measurement range due to their advanced, built-in measuring circuit. This circuit eliminates the interference that can impact analog sensors, and allows a robust digital signal to be sent to the connected transmitter.
A single UniCond sensor can accurately measure from ultrapure water to brackish water, allowing for a wide-breadth of applications with just one sensor type.
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