# US 12,191,649 B2 · Compact high voltage electric feedthrough

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- Number: US 12,191,649 B2
- Document ID: US12191649B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/701,146
- Filed: 2023-08-10
- Published: 2024-10-03
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2022-08-10
- Assignees: Avalanche Energy Designs, Inc.
- Applicants: Avalanche Energy Designs Inc.
- Inventors: Moein Borghei; Robert McMullen; Robin Langtry; Brian Riordan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191649B2

## CPC

- H01B 17/26: Lead-in insulators; Lead-through insulators
- H02G 3/22: Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings
- G21B 1/21: Electric power supply systems, e.g. for magnet systems, switching devices, storage devices, circuit arrangements {(methods or means for discharging superconducting storage windings H01F6/003)}
- H01B 17/30: Sealing
- H01B 17/303: {Sealing of leads to lead-through insulators}
- Y02E 30/10: Nuclear fusion reactors
- H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K})
- H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- G21B: FUSION REACTORS (uncontrolled reactors G21J)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Systems, components, and methods for feeding high voltage into a vacuum chamber are provided. An exemplary feedthrough includes a dielectric flange defining a first side, a second side, and an aperture extending from the first side to the second side and a conductor disposed through the aperture and forming a contact with the dielectric flange on the first side.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A feedthrough, comprising:
a dielectric flange defining a first side, a second side, and an aperture extending from the first side to the second side; and
a conductor disposed through the aperture and forming a contact with the dielectric flange on the first side,
wherein the dielectric flange is characterized by a minimum nondimensional thickness from about 0.1 to about 2.0, expressed as a ratio of a width of the dielectric flange, and
wherein the conductor comprises a solid of revolution having a cross-section that is rotationally symmetric about an axis of rotation and defined in part by a compound curve, the compound curve including a first curved segment having a first radius of curvature from about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the compound curve further comprises a second curved segment of a second radius of curvature greater than the first radius of the first curved segment, wherein the first curved segment is nearer to the first side and the second curved segment is farther from the first side.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The feedthrough of claim 2, wherein the cross-section further comprises a third segment, the first curved segment being between the third segment and the second curved segment, and wherein the third segment is shaped to receive the dielectric flange at the first side and to form the contact.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The feedthrough of claim 3, wherein the third segment defines a knife edge concentric with the aperture.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The feedthrough of claim 3, wherein the first curved segment meets the third segment at an angle “α” from about 15 degrees to about 345 degrees relative to a radial axis of the dielectric flange normal to the axis of rotation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the compound curve further comprises a second curved segment of a second radius of curvature equal to the first radius of the first curved segment, wherein the first curved segment is nearer to the first side and the second curved segment is farther from the first side.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the dielectric flange comprises a solid of revolution defined by a cross-section that is rotationally symmetric about the axis of rotation, and wherein the aperture is concentric with the axis of rotation.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The feedthrough of claim 7, wherein the cross-section defines a first segment, substantially normal to the axis of rotation.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The feedthrough of claim 8, wherein the first segment further defines a knife edge concentric with the aperture.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The feedthrough of claim 8, wherein the cross-section defines an annular recess concentric with the aperture, the annular recess contiguous with the first segment, and wherein the annular recess defines an inner portion with a semi-circular cross-section of radius, “R”.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The feedthrough of claim 10, wherein the cross-section further defines a feature, contiguous with the annular recess, comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface nearer the axis of rotation than the outer surface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The feedthrough of claim 11, wherein the inner surface is oriented relative to the axis of rotation at an angle “β,” from about 0 to about 90 degrees.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The feedthrough of claim 11, wherein the inner surface is separated from the conductor by a non-dimensional distance from about 0.3 to about 1.0, defined as a ratio of a radius of the dielectric flange.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The feedthrough of claim 11, wherein the feature is a first feature, the inner surface is a first inner surface, and the outer surface is a first outer surface, wherein the cross-section further defines a second feature comprising a second inner surface and a second outer surface, wherein the first feature is characterized by a first height, and wherein the second feature is characterized by a second height smaller than the first height.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The feedthrough of claim 14, wherein a ratio of the lengths of the first inner surface and the first outer surface is from about 0.1 to about 3.0.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The feedthrough of claim 14, wherein a ratio of the lengths of the first inner surface and the second inner surface is from about 0.01 to about 1.0.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The feedthrough of claim 14, wherein the feature is a first feature characterized by a first height, and wherein the cross-section further defines a third feature, farther from the axis of rotation than the first feature, the third feature characterized by a third height different from the first height.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The feedthrough of claim 17, wherein a difference between the first height and the third height defines an angle “γ” from about −75 degrees to about 75 degrees relative to a radial axis of the dielectric flange normal to the axis of rotation.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The feedthrough of claim 18, wherein the cross-section further defines a fourth feature, farther from the axis of rotation than the third feature, the fourth feature characterized by a fourth height different from the first height and the third height, and wherein the fourth height defined relative to the first height and the third height by the angle γ.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The feedthrough of claim 11, wherein the feature further comprises a lateral projection positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface, the lateral projection defining an electron entrapment zone adjacent to the inner surface.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the dielectric flange comprises a non-porous dielectric material.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the dielectric flange comprises aluminum oxide, zirconium dioxide, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, quartz, mica, borosilicate glass, MACOR, or SHAPAL.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The feedthrough of claim 1, further comprising a coating of non-conductive or semi-conductive material disposed overlying the first side, the coating being characterized by a secondary electron emission coefficient less than that of the dielectric flange.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The feedthrough of claim 1, further comprising a gasket disposed between the dielectric flange and the conductor, wherein the conductor forms the contact with the dielectric flange via the gasket.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The feedthrough of claim 24, wherein the gasket is a ring formed from copper, aluminum, flexible graphite, stainless steel, cast steel, monel, inconel, brass, bronze, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the contact is formed between a metalized surface of the dielectric flange and the conductor, fused by vacuum braising to form a hermetic seal.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the conductor comprises molybdenum, titanium, stainless steel, niobium, copper, tungsten, aluminum, nickel, tantalum, or an alloy thereof.

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

The feedthrough of claim 1, wherein the dielectric flange is characterized by a purity greater than about 90%.