Finding a Helium Leak on a GE Magnet

Demonstration of using Snoop to find a Helium leak on a GE MRI magnet. The magnet has a recondenser operating at 4.0 psi but still losing 2% Helium a week.

After playing with it for a week, I found a Helium leak as demonstrated.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• MRI
• Helium
• Recondenser
• Leak

[touge242]

the leak is big enough to detect with snoop? that's rather huge. What leak detector did you use?

[pastaman999]

I used a Mass Spec 47-J5. It had been jostled in shipment so I had to rebuild it first. B/C of the rebuid, I was unsure of the validity of the 47-J5 readings.

That's why I used the Snoop. Yes, it was a big leak. We were losing 2% a weak, and the pressure was usually staying at the 4 psi spec.

The pressure builder was working hard to keep the pressure at 4 psi, as designed.

The leak, however, was working hard to empty the Helium. Good thing the mag wasn't at field.

[deathoviacomm]

watch?v=ABkjwRQ1ByI

[douro20]

Didn't Intermagnetics actually make that magnet?