What does MRI stand for?

MRI stands for the Magnetic Resonance Imaging, a medical imaging technique used to create pictures of the physiological processes or the anatomy of the body. It is used in radiology.

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How does MRI machine work?

The MRI machine has an inbuilt MRI Scanner that applies a powerful magnetic field, which is close to thousand times the strength of a typical small magnet, (for instance fridge) of about 0.2 to 0.3 teslas. This strong magnetic field aligns the proton ‘spins’. While scanning the scanner also creates a varying magnetic field by producing radio frequency currents.

How should MRI Machine be protected against poor electrical power?

It’s a must to install all MRI machines with Online UPS, with inbuilt isolator transformer. These are specially designed UPS with robust industrial designs, which makes UPS substantially strong to work under severely stressed conditions to handle high inrush current of the CT and MRI scanners without affecting the power quality or without derating it. Any compromise on power quality leads to inaccurate reports generation, machine malfunctioning and premature failure making them useless beyond fixing. These are High-Tech machines and are too sensitive to the supplied power to perform accurately and effectively.

Must ensure that your selected UPS is providing adequate protection to the MRI machine, operator and the patient, while also providing sufficient protection to the UPS, itself.

What are the protections required to protect an MRI Machine?

The UPS should provide complete protection from all expected faults or the emergencies expected during regular use and usual conditions during ordinary course of usage of MRI Machine like-

1) Under Voltage and Over Voltage Protection – There should be gadgets to monitor the incoming voltage and the voltage fed to the machine. Both Under Voltage and Over Voltage protection is essential at the incoming supply as either of them, if remained persistent can result in premature failure of the components and finally the machine.

2) Single Phase Prevention – There should be single phase prevention mechanism inbuilt in the UPS to protect MRI machine from single phase prevention as it is not uncommon for a phase to miss out from the three phases supply feeding the machine. In case it occurs, it would damage the MRI machine for sure in addition to giving erroneous reports.

3) Neutral Drift & Neutral Failure – In electronics equipment and communication software neutral is critical for proper functioning. In case neutral fails or there is some drift in the neutral it will for sure damage the machine instantly. Therefore, it must ensure that an isolator transformer is provided in the system to protect the MRI machine from neutral drift or failure.

4) Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) & Harmonics Protection – The EMIs and the harmonics are to be isolated from the incoming power supply as they may cause the immediate premature component or machine failure itself without delay. The harmonics & EMI have to be isolated by providing a competent isolator transformer to provide galvanic protection to the MRI machine preventing it from failure and erratic output.

5) High Voltage transients & Electrostatic discharge – The high voltage transients and Electrostatic discharge protection system must be as per the rules and regulations of IEC 62040-2.

6) Output Short Circuit with pulse by pulse current limit protection – The UPS should protect the machine against any short circuit or drawn surge power and guard against false tripping or complete shutdown of the machine. The pulse by pulse current limit protection should be as per the latest guidelines and standards while protecting MRI machine from output short circuit.

What are the protections required to protect the UPS itself?

1) Input supply to the UPS – The system should be capable of protecting the input from very large currents or high inrush currents, which are likely to happen due to short circuit or due to some damaged/defective internal components. The protection in such a case should trip the system avoiding further damage to the equipment.

2) Under Voltage/Over Voltage protection – The components in the input sensing and the converter devices are highly sensitive to under-voltage as well as over-voltage and therefore should be well protected against them.

3) Rectifier Over Voltage Protection – Rectifier should be protected against any overvoltage damaging the inverter and the charger components to ensure the continuous working of MRI machines without interruption or failure.

4) Over Temperature Protection – There should be sufficient protection to protect the inverter and Converter magnetics and switching devices against premature failure.

5) External Magnetic Field Protection – Power frequency magnetic fields are dangerous to the UPS and can damage it instantly and thus need to guard against any such occurrence.

6) High Voltage Transient & Electrostatic Discharge Protection – The high voltage transient and the electrostatic discharges y can damage the components in the input sensing and the converter devices and are therefore essential to be taken care of.

7) Short Circuit & Overload Protection – Short Circuit and overload protection are a must to safeguard the UPS against any premature failure.

Conclusion – An Online UPS is a must to install with all MRI machines, with a caution that these UPS are not the same as the usual UPS installed against other commercial gadgets. Nexus Online UPS is exclusively designed for MRI machines to limit the Peak Power Consumption Utility. It allows the machines to operate at lower sanctioned power; thus, restricting overcapacity generator requirements. These UPS are equipped with remote power monitoring software and are built-in line with IEC 624001-3 for comprehensive power protection to ensure operator and patient safety.

Nexus, an established manufacturer of online and off-line UPS systems with many success stories and firsts to their credit builds the UPS with world-class highest quality standards by using the World trusted branded components from the original manufacturers, from last more than thirty years. Their UPS are exclusively built to fit the most stringent Indian harsh weather conditions to perform year after year without fail. They were the first and the only manufacturer to manufacture 4KVA Line Interactive UPS. Way back in 1989 they were also the first to launch Ferro resonant type online UPS System with CVCC charger. Here they didn’t stop; they are even the first and the only manufacturer in India to design a 10 watts Line Interactive UPS system.