Chilling Out: Avoiding MRI meltdown by utilizing air or water cooled chillers.

This article explains how to remove heat from high-powered MRI equipment using a cooling system known as a chiller. A chiller, or water cooled refrigeration condenser, is one of the most efficient ways to remove an MRI machine's generated heat. The amount of heat a chiller can remove per hour is commonly measured in either BTUH (British Thermal Units per Hours) or KWH (Kilo Watts Per Hour). Typical chiller units remove a range of heat, via water, from 2 KWH all the way up to 1.2m KWH.

Below are links to quick and easy-to-follow discussions about MRI chillers, presented by Legacy Chillers USA.

Why do I need a commercial MRI chiller solution?
What is the best MRI chiller solution for my business application?
How do I specify a MRI chiller solution?
How do I choose between MRI chiller providers?
Where to go for More Information

Why do I need a commercial MRI chiller solution?

MRI and other medical/lab equipment can be adversely affected by seemingly minor fluctuations in temperature that can result in unanticipated downtime, premature equipment failure, and increased maintenance costs.
The best way to remove this heat is via Mother Nature's bounty--water. A water cooled refrigeration condenser known simply as a chiller, will channel the heat into the chiller unit.
Example of a chilling system
Once the heat is removed from the water, the chiller needs to get rid of the heat it has absorbed from the water. The most common way is to the air. This would be termed as an "air-cooled" chiller. The other way is to another water source usually a cooling tower of some type. This is known as a "water-cooled" chiller.

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What is the best MRI chiller solution for my business application?

Air Cooled Chiller

After a chiller has absorbed a MRI's excess heat, the hot water in the chiller unit must be eliminated. The most common method is to disperse the water into the air. This is known as an air-cooled chiller. It is a Stand alone system that requires no other external equipment.
Water Cooled Chiller The alternative is to send the heated water to another water source, usually a cooling tower of some type. This is known as a water-cooled chiller.
In most cases, unless your building is equipped with a cooling tower, the air-cooled solution will be the most economical.

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How do I specify a MRI chiller solution?

The first step is to to gather your fluid cooling system requirements. The best place to find this information is the manufacturer’s literature, and is commonly referred to as the "Site Preparation Manual" or "Site Prep Guide". The information that will help you to pre-specify your MRI chiller includes:
  • How often the MRI is in use; for instance, is it occasional use, or 24x7?
  • The fluid cooling requirements of your equipment, including:
      • the type of fluid the chiller will be circulating. Common cooling fluids are water, a glycol/water mix, or a glycol/distilled water mix.
      • the required flow rate of the fluid.
      • the entering fluid temperature for your equipment.
      • the exiting fluid temperature.
      • the system operating pressure. The operating voltage for your facility. Typically this will be the same operating voltage as your process equipment. If your company has its own Facilities Department or electrician this would be a great place to get your electrical information. It would also be a good idea to find out what additional capacity you have available near where you want to install your chiller. This information is key in determining your total budget for your project.
      • Do you need an air-cooled or water-cooled chiller? Refer to What is the best MRI chiller solution for my business application?
  • Finally, you need to know where the chiller will be mounted. The most common choices are on an outside pad or on the roof.
Most importantly when specifying an MRI chiller solution, you need to buy from a reputable source. See below, How do I choose between MRI chiller providers?

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How do I choose between MRI chiller providers?

Out of any number of companies offering MRI chiller solutions, the following characteristics are important to research. At a minimum, the company should offer:

    1. A chiller solution that is customized to fit the needs of your particular MRI application. They should not ask you to adapt your requirements to fit their solution!

    2. A Single-source solution; the buyer should be able to pick up the phone once and have a full range of complementary cooling and conditioning products and services available.

    3. Non-OEM replacement parts. OEM parts are often difficult to locate and can take weeks to arrive. Can you afford that much downtime?

    4. Prices that reflect savings via collective buying power, vs. higher prices as a result of a small or solo operation?

    5. Web-enabled wireless monitoring; a must-have that can detect possible maintenance issues weeks or months before a potential equipment failure.

    6. Experienced staff familiar with a variety of fluid cooling system solutions.

    7. Exceptional customer service, continually meeting and exceeding customer expectations. The company must take the time to understand your needs and save you time, money & frustration.

    8. Excellent customer support after the sale. The company should have service and support field offices close to your location and offer up to 24x7 response time.

    9. Customer referrals. Ask for them and use them.

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Where do I find more information?

For More Information, visit Legacy Chillers USA, one of the leading authorities /suppliers of air & water cooled refrigeration condensers. Legacy Chillers offers general purpose and mission specific chiller solutions for many applications such as:

  • Bio-medical: MRI, Laser, semi-conductor, for MRI, CT scan, PET scan, etc.
  • Semi-conductor: thermal control of SOC test system and many other SEMI related production applications.
  • Fermentation: fermentation control and cold stabilization of premium wines.

Legacy Chillers USA also offers an online store for replacement parts, and an online quote wizard. With the fastest production lead-times, personal attention to your needs at all stages, and the largest network of engineering and field support professionals in the world, Legacy Chillers looks forward to working with you on your next project.

 

 

Questions or problems regarding this web site should be directed to support@Legacychillers.com.
Copyright © 2003 Legacy Chiller Systems (USA). All rights reserved.

Toll free within USA 877-988-5464 or 530-344-1105

 

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