Liquid cooled anode x-ray tubes
AssigneeArthur H. Iversen
InventorsStephen Whitaker, Arthur H. Iversen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Rotating anode x-ray generating apparatus including a mechanism which utilizes the rotational motion of the anode (20) to increase the effective rate of coolant with respect to the anode heat exchange surface (43).
Claims50
In an apparatus of the type including a rotatable hollow anode adapted for irradiation by an energy beam, and including a heat exchange surface, said apparatus including a stationary septum disposed within said hollow anode for defining a fluid conduit within said anode, means for providing a flow of coolant liquid in said conduit to remove heat from said heat exchange surface by formation of nucleate vapor bubbles on and removal from said heat exchange surface, and means, coupled to said anode within said fluid conduit for, responsive to rotation of said anode, increasing the rate of flow of said coolant liquid relative to said heat exchange surface;
- improvement wherein said apparatus further includes:
- means, including curved surfaces disposed on said stationery septum to receive coolant liquid from said means for increasing rate of flow, for directing the flow of said liquid to traverse the path of anode rotation.
In an x-ray generating apparatus of the type including a rotatable hollow anode adapted for irradiation by an energy beam, and including a heat exchange surface, said apparatus including means for providing flow of coolant liquid to remove heat from said heat exchange surface by formation of nucleate vapor bubbles on said heat exchange surface, the improvement wherein:
- said heat exchange surface comprises curves in planes passing through the axis of rotation of said anode, disposed to generate, responsive to relative velocity between said coolant and said heat exchange surface, a pressure gradient in said coolant liquid having a magnitude proportional to the square of said relative velocity and having a component perpendicular to said heat exchange surface.
In an apparatus of the type including a rotatable hollow anode, the exterior circumferential surface of said anode including a generally v-shaped grove adapted for irradiation by an energy beam, the interior surface of said hollow anode corresponding to said v-shaped groove comprising a heat exchange surface having respective sides, said apparatus further including a stationary septum disposed within said anode, said septum, in cooperation with interior surfaces of said anode, forming a conduit for directing coolant liquid to said heat exchange surface to remove heat from said heat exchange surface by formation of nucleate vapor bubbles thereon, and means for providing a flow of coolant liquid through said conduit, the improvement wherein:
- said heat exchange surface comprises curves, concave with respect to said coolant liquid flow, in planes passing through the axis of rotation of said anode, disposed to generate, responsive to relative velocity between said coolant liquid and said heat exchange surface, a pressure gradient in said coolant liquid having a magnitude proportional to the square of said relative velocity with a component perpendicular to said heat exchange surface;
- and
- said septum includes respective surfaces generally corresponding to said heat exchange surface, comprises curves, convex with respect to said liquid coolant flow, in said planes passing through the axis of rotation of said anode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.