Integrated fluid pump for use in an x-ray tube

In an x-ray tube including an outer housing defining a reservoir volume, the reservoir volume containing an evacuated enclosure, an integrated fluid pump for use in circulating a coolant contained in the outer housing, the fluid pump comprising:

• a pump body;
• a pump head defining a pump volume and including:
• a fluid inlet;
• an impeller positioned in the pump volume;
• and
• a fluid outlet;
• and
• a motor that selectively rotates the impeller;
• wherein at least one component of the fluid pump is at least partially defined by the outer housing.

An x-ray tube, comprising:

• an evacuated enclosure containing an electron source and an anode positioned to receive electrons emitted by the electron source;
• an outer housing defining a reservoir volume that contains the evacuated enclosure and a coolant that surrounds at least a portion of the evacuated enclosure;
• a cooling system, including:
• first and second fluid lines;
• a heat exchanger;
• and
• an integrated fluid pump that transports coolant between the outer housing reservoir volume and the heat exchanger via the first and second fluid lines, the fluid pump including:
• a pump body;
• a motor positioned in the pump body;
• and
• a pump head having a pump volume at least partially defined by a portion of the outer housing, the pump head including:
• a fluid inlet defined in the portion of the outer housing that at least partially defines the pump volume, the fluid inlet in fluid communication with the pump volume;
• a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the pump volume;
• and
• an impeller positioned in the pumping volume and driven by the motor.