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.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- an active or passive chiller for cooling a coolant;
- a thermoelectric assembly situated on an object;
- one or more conduits for circulating a coolant from the active or passive chiller to the thermoelectric assembly, whereby the coolant passes through the thermoelectric assembly such that the thermoelectric assembly is usable for actively cooling and/or for controlling temperature of the object;
- one or more conduits for returning the coolant from the thermoelectric assembly 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 thermoelectric assembly 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/or the one or more conduits comprise uninsulated hoses to circulate the coolant from the passive chiller to the another object and the thermoelectric assembly and back to the passive chiller.
The system of 1, 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.
A system comprising:
- an active or passive chiller for cooling a coolant;
- a thermoelectric assembly situated on an X-ray image detector plate;
- one or more conduits for circulating a coolant from the active or passive chiller to the thermoelectric assembly, whereby the coolant passes through the thermoelectric assembly such that the thermoelectric assembly is usable for actively cooling and/or for controlling temperature of the X-ray image detector plate;
- and
- one or more conduits for returning the coolant from the thermoelectric assembly 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 thermoelectric assembly and to circulate at least a portion of the remaining undiverted coolant from the active or passive chiller to an X-ray tube for cooling of the X-ray tube.
The system of 9, 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 X-ray tube and the X-ray image detector plate.
A method comprising:
- diverting a portion of a coolant from an active or passive chiller to a thermoelectric assembly situated on an object, such that the diverted portion of the coolant passes through the thermoelectric assembly for actively cooling the object and/or for controlling temperature of the object;
- 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;
- and
- wherein the method includes cooling the coolant using a passive chiller and/or using uninsulated hoses to circulate the coolant from the passive chiller to the another object and the thermoelectric assembly and back to the passive chiller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.