Forced oil circulation in X-ray tube without external hoses
AssigneeGE Precision Healthcare LLC
InventorsAnup G. Nair, John J. McCabe, Carey S. Rogers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An X-ray tube housing is disclosed that has oil channels integrated (e.g., built into) the X-ray tube housing that accommodate a flow of oil through interior spaces of the X-ray tube housing. A first oil channel from a mid-casing portion of the X-ray tube housing to a pump housing inlet is built into the mid-casing portion, and a second oil channel from a pump housing outlet to a heat exchanger located in an anode-side casing is built into the anode-side casing. The integrated oil channels reduce a number of sealing joints, which reduces the opportunities for leaks, and allows an X-ray tube assembly to be assembled with fewer parts.
Claims19
An X-ray tube housing, comprising:
- a mid-casing portion, an anode-side end-casing portion, and a cathode-side end-casing portion, wherein:
- a first flow of oil circulating around an X-ray insert enclosed within the X-ray tube housing is directed to an inlet of a housing of a pump of the anode-side end-casing portion via a first oil channel integrated into the mid-casing portion;
- and
- a second flow of oil from an outlet of the pump housing is directed to a heat exchanger located in the anode-side end-casing portion via a second oil channel integrated into the anode-side end-casing portion;
- wherein the first oil channel is integrated into the mid-casing portion such that a central axis of the first oil channel is aligned with a wall of the mid-casing portion, with a first circumferential portion of the first oil channel extending outward from an external surface of the mid-casing portion, and a second circumferential portion of the first oil channel extending inward from an internal surface of the mid-casing portion.
A method for cooling a dielectric oil disposed within an X-ray tube assembly, the method comprising:
- manufacturing a mid-casing portion of a housing of the X-ray tube assembly that includes a first oil channel integrated into a first wall of the mid-casing portion;
- manufacturing an anode-side end-casing portion of the housing that includes a second oil channel integrated into second wall of the anode-side end-casing portion;
- placing an amount of the dielectric oil in a space between the housing and an X-ray insert of the X-ray tube assembly;
- circulating a flow of the dielectric oil between the space and a heat exchanger of the X-ray tube assembly via the first oil channel and the second oil channel, using a pump of the X-ray tube assembly;
- wherein the first oil channel is integrated into the mid-casing portion such that a central axis of the first oil channel is aligned with a wall of the mid-casing portion, with a first circumferential portion of the first oil channel extending outward from an external surface of the mid-casing portion, and a second circumferential portion of the first oil channel extending inward from an internal surface of the mid-casing portion.
An X-ray tube housing, comprising:
- an anode-side end-casing portion;
- a cathode-side end-casing portion;
- and
- a mid-casing portion;
- wherein the mid-casing portion is configured to include a first oil channel integrated into the mid-casing portion, the first oil channel connecting an interior space of the X-ray tube housing to a pump inlet portion of the anode-side end-casing portion;
- and
- the anode-side end-casing portion is configured to include a second oil channel integrated into the anode-side end-casing portion, the second oil channel connecting a pump outlet portion of the anode-side end-casing portion with an inlet to a heat exchanger positioned in the anode-side end-casing portion;
- wherein the first oil channel is integrated into the mid-casing portion such that a central axis of the first oil channel is aligned with a wall of the mid-casing portion, with a first circumferential portion of the first oil channel extending outward from an external surface of the mid-casing portion, and a second circumferential portion of the first oil channel extending inward from an internal surface of the mid-casing portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.