Systems and methods for cooling X-ray tubes and detectors
AssigneeLaird Technologies, Inc.
InventorDan Martin Gustav Karlstedt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are disclosed of systems that may be used for cooling objects, such as X-ray tubes and detectors, etc. Also disclosed are exemplary embodiments of methods for cooling objects, such as X-ray tubes and detectors, etc. For example, an exemplary embodiment includes a system that can be used to cool an X-ray tube and detector with one chiller. As another example, an exemplary embodiment of a method includes using one chiller to cool an X-ray tube and detector.
Claims16
A method comprising:
- cooling a coolant outside an operating environment of an object to be cooled using an active or passive chiller;
- circulating the coolant from the active or passive chiller towards the object;
- diverting a portion of the coolant to a direct to liquid (DL) thermoelectric assembly (TEA) situated on the object such that the diverted portion of the coolant passes through the DL TEA for actively cooling the object and for controlling temperature of the object;
- allowing at least a portion of the remaining undiverted coolant to flow to another object for cooling of the another object;
- and
- returning the coolant from the another object and the DL TEA back to the active or passive chiller;
- wherein the method includes cooling the coolant using a passive chiller, and using uninsulated hoses to circulate the coolant from the passive chiller to the another object and the DL TEA and back to the passive chiller.
A method comprising circulating a coolant from an active or passive chiller through a direct to liquid (DL) thermoelectric assembly (TEA) situated on an object to be cooled such that the coolant passes through the DL TEA for actively cooling the object and for controlling temperature of the object, wherein:
- circulating a coolant from the active or passive chiller through the DL TEA comprises diverting a portion of the coolant from the active or passive chiller to the DL TEA such that the diverted portion of the coolant passes through the DL TEA;
- and
- the method further comprises circulating at least a portion of the remaining undiverted coolant from the active or passive chiller to flow to another object for cooling of the another object;
- wherein the method includes cooling the coolant using a passive chiller, and using uninsulated hoses to circulate the coolant from the passive chiller to the another object and the DL TEA and back to the passive chiller.
A system comprising:
- an active or passive chiller for cooling a coolant;
- a direct to liquid (DL) thermoelectric assembly (TEA) situated on an object to be cooled;
- one or more conduits for circulating a coolant from the active or passive chiller to the DL TEA, whereby the coolant may pass through the DL TEA such that the DL TEA is usable for actively cooling and for controlling temperature of the object;
- and
- one or more conduits for returning the coolant from the DL TEA back to the active or passive chiller;
- wherein the system is configured to divert a portion of the coolant from the active or passive chiller to the DL TEA and to circulate at least a portion of the remaining undiverted coolant from the active or passive chiller to another object for cooling of the another object;
- and
- wherein the active or passive chiller comprises a passive chiller and the one or more conduits comprise uninsulated hoses to circulate the coolant from the passive chiller to the another object and the DL TEA and back to the passive chiller.
The system of 10, wherein the system includes only one said active or passive chiller such that the same said active or passive chiller is usable for cooling both the object and the another object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.