Cooler, x-ray computed tomography apparatus, and maintenance method of x-ray computed tomography apparatus

A method of maintaining an X-ray computed tomography apparatus, comprising:

• preparing the X-ray computed tomography apparatus comprising an X-ray tube device comprising a housing, and an X-ray tube housed in the housing, the X-ray tube including a cathode configured to discharge an electron beam, an anode target configured to discharge an X-ray by receiving the electron beam, and a vacuum envelope which stores the cathode and the anode target, a coolant where at least a part of heat generated in the X-ray tube is transferred, a circulation path where the coolant is circulated, a circulation pump installed in the circulation path to circulate the coolant, a radiator unit installed in the circulation path to externally discharge the heat of the coolant, a fan unit configured to generate an air flow passing through the radiator unit, an X-ray detector configured to detect the X-ray, a rotary gantry frame including a ring-shaped frame portion rotating with respect to a rotation axis, the X-ray tube device, the circulation pump, the radiator unit, the fan unit, and the X-ray detector being installed in the rotary gantry frame, and an expansion mechanism installed in the circulation path to absorb a volume change caused by a temperature change of the coolant, a windward side of the radiator unit being exposed in an inner wall side space of the frame portion;
• dividing the housing, the radiator unit, the circulation pump, and the expansion mechanism connected to form the circulation path into a pair of channels using a pair of removable couplings;
• and
• installing another expansion mechanism in a channel that does not include the expansion mechanism using the removable coupling.

A cooler mounted on a rotor to cool an X-ray generator rotated around a rotational center axis along with the rotor, the cooler comprising:

• a casing comprising a base fixed to a cooler fixing surface of the rotor;
• a radiator unit which is installed in a circulation path, where a coolant is circulated, and covers a ventilation port provided in a portion other than the base of the casing to externally discharge heat of the coolant;
• and
• a fan unit housed in the casing to generate an air flow passing through the radiator unit,
• wherein the air flow is a flow receding from the rotational center axis, and
• a windward side of the radiator unit is exposed to an outer side of the casing.

A cooler mounted on a rotor to cool an X-ray generator that rotates around a rotational center axis along with the rotor, comprising:

• a base which is fixed to a cooler fixing surface of the rotor and includes an exhaust port communicating with a ventilation portion provided in the rotor;
• a first base fixing portion configured to fix the base to the cooler fixing surface and provided adjacently to one side in an upstream side of the base in a rotational direction of the rotor;
• a second base fixing portion configured to fix the base to the cooler fixing surface and provided adjacently to one side in a downstream side of the base in a rotational direction of the rotor;
• a radiator unit configured to discharge heat generated in the X-ray generator to an external atmosphere and connected to the X-ray generator through a pipe;
• a circulation pump fixedly arranged on the base to circulate a coolant through the pipe between the X-ray generator and the radiator unit;
• a casing which is configured to define a ventilation space on the base and an intake duct where the radiator unit is arranged;
• a fan unit which is fixedly arranged in the base on the ventilation portion, and is configured to introduce air from an outer side of the casing to the ventilation space through the radiator unit provided in the intake duct and discharge air from the ventilation space through the exhaust port and the ventilation portion;
• and
• a support structure fixed to the base that supports the radiator unit such that the radiator unit is arranged to protrude in a roof shape toward the rotational center axis side,
• wherein a height of an apex portion of the casing from the cooler fixing surface is smaller than a distance between the first and second base fixing portions.