High intensity microfocus X-ray source for industrial computerized tomography and digital fluoroscopy
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorDavid W. Oliver
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high intensity microfocus x-ray source for the inspection of superalloy objects and the like operates at a voltage of the order of 400-500 kV with an electron beam focal spot size of the order of 2-10 mils and at power levels of tens to hundreds of kilowatts and affords a brightness improvement of at least three thousand over conventional x-ray sources.
Claims15
A method of x-ray inspecting an object to detect a microflaw therein by using an x-ray tube having an electron beam source, a rotating anode, and means for focusing the electron beam onto the anode to produce x-rays, the method comprising operating the electron beam source and the anode at a potential difference of the order of 400-500 kV, focusing the electron beam onto the anode with a spot size of the order of or less than the size of the microflaw so as to emit x-rays, passing the x-rays emitted through the object, and detecting the x-rays passed through the object.
A high intensity x-ray source for inspecting an object to detect a microflaw therein comprising a source for producing an electron beam, a rotating anode, means for focusing the electron beam onto the rotating anode with a spot size of the order of or less than the size of the microflaw, means for operating the anode and the electron beam source at potential difference of the order of 400-500 kV, and means for applying a coolant to the anode to remove heat therefrom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.