Method for configuring and assembling a weld-free mri machine quench vent system

Abstract

A joint seal system and method may be configured to mitigate and/or eliminate leakage of pressure, flue gases, condensate, helium vent gas and/or any other fluid, gas, and/or vapor between abutting flanges of duct sections at a flange interface. A weld-free MRI machine quench vent discharge system using pre-fabricated chimney duct components may be configured by selecting a quench vent outlet and discharge location, mapping a route, and determining directional changes. Elbows and bellows sections are selected based on these changes, and the distance between the MRI machine and discharge location is calculated to determine support positions. The system is assembled using prefabricated chimney ducts, each comprising an inner shell with spinner bolt flanges and a leak-free joint with a PTFE gasket. The design includes an outer shell with an insulation gap for thermal protection.

1 . A method of assembling a prefabricated chimney duct MRI vent system comprising:
 a) selecting an MRI machine quench vent outlet;   b) positioning a first prefabricated chimney duct section for connection with the MRI machine quench vent outlet, the first prefabricated chimney duct section further comprising:
 i) a first inner shell, the first inner shell further comprising:
 1) A first end configured with an inner shell rim; 
 2) A second end, the second end configured with an inner shell rim; 
 3) A body portion having an axial length, the body portion connecting the first end and the second end; 
 
 ii) a first inner shell spinner bolt flange configured as a collar with an interior to surround the exterior of the first inner shell and an exterior face having a plurality of apertures positioned in and around a perimeter of the exterior face and wherein the first inner shell spinner bolt flange contacts and abuts the inner shell rim at the first end; and, 
 iii) a second inner shell spinner bolt flange configured as a collar with an interior to surround the exterior of the inner shell and an exterior face having a plurality of apertures positioned in and around a perimeter of the exterior face and wherein the second inner shell spinner bolt flange contacts and abuts the inner shell rim at the second end; 
   c) positioning a second prefabricated chimney duct section adjacent to the first prefabricated chimney duct section, the second prefabricated chimney further comprising:
 i) an inner shell, the inner shell further comprising:
 1) a first end configured with an inner shell rim; 
 2) a second end, the second end configured with an inner shell rim; 
 3) a body portion having an axial length, the body portion connecting the first end and the second end; 
 
 ii) a first inner shell spinner bolt flange configured as a collar with an interior to surround the exterior of the inner shell and an exterior face having a plurality of apertures positioned in and around a perimeter of the exterior face and wherein the first inner shell spinner bolt flange contacts and abuts the inner shell rim at the first end; and, 
 iii) a second inner shell spinner bolt flange configured as a collar with an interior to surround the exterior of the inner shell and an exterior face having a plurality of apertures positioned in and around a perimeter of the exterior face and wherein the second inner shell spinner bolt flange contacts and abuts the inner shell rim at the second end; 
   d) positioning a gasket between the second inner shell spinner bolt flange of the first prefabricated chimney duct section and the abutting first inner shell spinner bolt flange of the second prefabricated chimney section, wherein the gasket is comprised of polytretrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and suitable for a temperature range of −452.4 degrees F. to 100 degrees F., wherein a plurality of apertures are positioned around a perimeter of the gasket;   e) aligning the apertures of the second inner shell spinner bolt flange of the first chimney duct section and the apertures of the first inner shell spinner bolt flange of the second section with the plurality of apertures of the gasket via rotation; and,   f) inserting a plurality of fasteners into and through the aligned apertures of the gasket and the apertures of the second inner shell spinner bolt flange of the first chimney duct section and the apertures of the first inner shell spinner bolt flange of the second section to create a leak-free joint connecting the first prefabricated chimney duct section and the second prefabricated chimney duct section for the purpose of venting the MRI machine during a quench to a termination.   
     
     
         2 . The method of assembling the prefabricated chimney duct MRI vent system according to claim  2  including the step of configuring the second prefabricated chimney duct as a bellows section to compensate for thermal contraction during quench venting of the MRI machine. 
     
     
         3 . The method of assembling the prefabricated chimney duct MRI vent system according to  claim 1  wherein the termination is selected from the group consisting of a capped roof termination, a discharge cone termination or a box termination, or a combination therein. 
     
     
         4 . The method of assembling the prefabricated chimney duct MRI vent system according to  claim 2  wherein the termination is selected from the group consisting of a capped roof termination, a discharge cone termination or a box termination, or a combination therein. 
     
     
         5 . The method of assembling the prefabricated chimney duct MRI vent system according to  claim 1  including the step of configuring the second prefabricated chimney duct as an elbow for at least one change of direction in a route between the MRI machine quench vent outlet and the termination. 
     
     
         6 . The method of assembling the prefabricated chimney duct MRI vent system according to  claim 4  including the step of configuring the second prefabricated chimney duct as an elbow for at least one change of direction in a route between the MRI machine quench vent outlet and the termination. 
     
     
         7 . The method of assembling the prefabricated chimney duct MRI vent system according to  claim 1  including the step of the configuring the first and second prefabricated chimney duct sections with a tubular outer shell to surround the inner shell of the first prefabricated chimney duct section and the second prefabricated chimney duct section, wherein an l-shaped clip is positioned between the inner shell and the outer shell to create an insulation gap wherein an insulating material is positioned in the insulation gap. 
     
     
         8 . The method of assembling the prefabricated chimney duct MRI vent system according to  claim 2  including the step of the configuring the first and second prefabricated chimney duct sections with a tubular outer shell to surround the inner shell of the first prefabricated chimney duct section and the second prefabricated chimney duct section, wherein an l-shaped clip is positioned between the inner shell and the outer shell to create an insulation gap wherein an insulating material is positioned in the insulation gap. 
     
     
         9 . The method of assembling the prefabricated chimney duct MRI vent system according to  claim 5  including the step of the configuring the first and second prefabricated chimney duct sections with a tubular outer shell to surround the inner shell of the first prefabricated chimney duct section and the second prefabricated chimney duct section, wherein an l-shaped clip is positioned between the inner shell and the outer shell to create an insulation gap wherein an insulating material is positioned in the insulation gap. 
     
     
         10 . The method of assembling the prefabricated chimney duct MRI vent system according to  claim 6  including the step of the configuring the first and second prefabricated chimney duct sections with a tubular outer shell to surround the inner shell of the first prefabricated chimney duct section and the second prefabricated chimney duct section, wherein an l-shaped clip is positioned between the inner shell and the outer shell to create an insulation gap wherein an insulating material is positioned in the insulation gap. 
     
     
         11 . An MRI machine quench vent system constructed from pre-fabricated chimney duct components comprising:
 a) a plurality of prefabricated chimney duct sections positioned adjacently for mechanical connection, each prefabricated chimney duct section further comprising:
 i) a first inner shell, the first inner shell further comprising:
 1) A first end configured with an inner shell rim; 
 2) A second end, the second end configured with an inner shell rim; 
 3) A body portion having an axial length, the body portion connecting the first end and the second end; 
 
 ii) a first inner shell spinner bolt flange configured as a collar with an interior to surround the exterior of the first inner shell and an exterior face having a plurality of apertures positioned in and around a perimeter of the exterior face and wherein the first inner shell spinner bolt flange contacts and abuts the inner shell rim at the first end; and, 
 iii) a second inner shell spinner bolt flange configured as a collar with an interior to surround the exterior of the inner shell and an exterior face having a plurality of apertures positioned in and around a perimeter of the exterior face and wherein the second inner shell spinner bolt flange contacts and abuts the inner shell rim at the second end; 
   b) a leak-free joint positioned between each of the plurality of adjacent prefabricated chimney duct sections, the leak-free joint further comprising:
 i) a gasket positioned between the second inner shell spinner bolt flange of a first prefabricated chimney duct section and the abutting first inner shell spinner bolt flange of a second prefabricated chimney section, wherein a plurality of apertures are positioned around a perimeter of the gasket, wherein the gasket is comprised of polytretrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and suitable for a temperature range of −452.4 degrees F. to 100 degrees F.; 
 ii) a plurality of fasteners inserted into and through the aligned apertures of the gasket and the apertures of the second inner shell spinner bolt flange of the first chimney duct section and the apertures of the first inner shell spinner bolt flange of the second section to secure the connection of the adjacent prefabricated chimney duct sections; 
   c) wherein the first prefabricated chimney duct section of the plurality of prefabricated chimney duct sections are connected at a first end to a MRI machine quench vent outlet located at a first location; and,   d) wherein the last prefabricated chimney duct section is connected at a second end to a termination located at a second location to provide a quench vent system to the termination for the connected MRI machine during a quench event.   
     
     
         12 . The MRI machine quench vent system constructed from pre-fabricated chimney duct components according to  claim 11  wherein at least one prefabricated chimney duct section of the plurality of prefabricated chimney duct sections is configured as an elbow. 
     
     
         13 . The MRI machine quench vent system constructed from pre-fabricated chimney duct components according to  claim 11  wherein at least one prefabricated chimney duct section of the plurality of prefabricated chimney duct sections is configured as a bellows section. 
     
     
         14 . The MRI machine quench vent system constructed from pre-fabricated chimney duct components according to  claim 11  wherein at least one prefabricated chimney duct section of the plurality of prefabricated chimney duct sections is configured as a termination. 
     
     
         15 . The MRI machine quench vent system constructed from pre-fabricated chimney duct components according to  claim 14  wherein at least one prefabricated chimney duct section of the plurality of prefabricated chimney duct sections is configured as a termination, the termination selected from the group consisting of a capped roof termination, a discharge cone termination or a box termination, or any combination therein. 
     
     
         16 . A weld-free method of generating a MRI machine quench vent discharge system from pre-fabricated chimney duct components comprising:
 a) selecting a MRI machine quench vent outlet;   b) selecting a discharge location;   c) mapping a route between the MRI machine quench vent outlet and the discharge location;   d) determining if the route has a change in direction in either a vertical or horizontal direction;   e) selecting at least one elbow for each of the change in direction determined;   f) selecting at least one bellows section if at least one horizontal change in direction is required;   g) calculating a calculated distance between the MRI machine and the discharge location; and,   h) determining a position for at least one support for engagement with the MRI machine quench vent discharge system based on the calculated distance.   
     
     
         17 . The weld-free method of generating a MRI machine quench vent discharge system from pre-fabricated chimney duct components according to claim wherein a plurality of prefabricated chimney ducts are assembled for connection according to the mapped route between the MRI machine quench vent outlet and the termination located at the discharge location selected. 
     
     
         18 . The weld-free method of generating a MRI machine quench vent discharge system from pre-fabricated chimney duct components according to claim wherein each prefabricated chimney duct section further comprises:
 a) a first inner shell, the first inner shell further comprising:
 i) a first end configured with an inner shell rim; 
 ii) a second end, the second end configured with an inner shell rim; 
 iii) a body portion having an axial length, the body portion connecting the first end and the second end; 
   b) a first inner shell spinner bolt flange configured as a collar with an interior to surround the exterior of the first inner shell and an exterior face having a plurality of apertures positioned in and around a perimeter of the exterior face and wherein the first inner shell spinner bolt flange contacts and abuts the inner shell rim at the first end; and,   c) a second inner shell spinner bolt flange configured as a collar with an interior to surround the exterior of the inner shell and an exterior face having a plurality of apertures positioned in and around a perimeter of the exterior face and wherein the second inner shell spinner bolt flange contacts and abuts the inner shell rim at the second end.   
     
     
         19 . The weld-free method of generating a MRI machine quench vent discharge system from pre-fabricated chimney duct components according to  claim 18  wherein a leak-free joint is positioned between each of the plurality of adjacent prefabricated chimney duct sections, the leak-free joint further comprising:
 i) a gasket positioned between the second inner shell spinner bolt flange of a first prefabricated chimney duct section and the abutting first inner shell spinner bolt flange of a second prefabricated chimney section, wherein a plurality of apertures are positioned around a perimeter of the gasket, wherein the gasket is comprised of polytretrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and suitable for a temperature range of −452.4 degrees F. to 100 degrees F.; 
 ii) a plurality of fasteners inserted into and through the aligned apertures of the gasket and the apertures of the second inner shell spinner bolt flange of the first chimney duct section and the apertures of the first inner shell spinner bolt flange of the second section to secure the connection of the adjacent prefabricated chimney duct sections; 
 
     
     
         20 . The weld-free method of generating a MRI machine quench vent discharge system from pre-fabricated chimney duct components according to  claim 19  wherein the prefabricated chimney duct section includes a tubular outer shell to surround the inner shell of the prefabricated chimney duct section, wherein an l-shaped clip is positioned between the inner shell and the outer shell to create an insulation gap wherein an insulating material is positioned.