Overcoming the Helium Crisis
Conduction-cooled HTS MRI magnets operating at 30K-77K entirely eliminate the need for liquid helium infrastructure. The global helium shortage, with 80% of supply sourced from a few countries, makes traditional low-temperature MRI highly unreliable and expensive in developing markets.
REBCO-based 1.5T to 3T MRI magnets are cooled by standard closed-loop cryocoolers. They cost 40% less to operate, are lighter, easier to install, and can be ramped up/down without risking expensive helium quench venting. High-field 7T+ MRIs are also enabled for cutting-edge neurological research.
Key Advantages
- Zero liquid helium required
- 40% lower operational costs
- Simplified hospital installation
- Enables ultra-high field (7T+) clinical machines
Performance Metrics
Conduction Cooling & Cryogen-Free Magnets
Traditional MRI systems bathe NbTi coils in a massive bath of liquid helium at 4.2 Kelvin. When upgrading to REBCO wire, the critical temperature leaps to 92K. Operating safely around 30K to 50K allows for "dry" conduction cooling.
In this architecture, robust cryocooler cold-heads are thermally connected directly to the coil forms using high-purity copper or aluminum straps. This solid-state cooling removes boil-off issues, quench pipes, and reliance on fragile cryogenic liquid supply chains, democratizing high-quality diagnostic imaging.
Market Implementation
GE HealthCare FreeStar
Developing accessible, low-infrastructure MRI scanners intended for rural or remote medical centers where helium resupply is impossible.
Siemens Magnetom
Exploring HTS coils to shrink the physical footprint of ultra-high field (7T) scanners, lowering acoustic noise and making them fit in standard rooms.
MagnaMedics
A specialized player pushing the limits of joint-and-extremity specific desktop MRIs powered by ultra-compact HTS coils.
Transform Your Imaging Portfolio
Ensure supply chain resilience and lower patient costs by integrating our REBCO wire into your next-gen scanners.
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