US 5,317,579 AGranted

Laser pump

AssigneeLitton Systems, Inc.

InventorAnthony P. Adsett

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for pumping a coolant through a laser cavity to cool the laser. The apparatus has a titanium housing and a casing containing a rotatable titanium hollow shaft. A titanium impeller is located at one end of the shaft within the housing and rotates with the shaft to pump the fluid through a laser. Disposed within casing and attached to the shaft are a plurality of permanent magnets. External to the casing are stator windings through which current flows to create a magnetic field that rotates the permanent magnets, shaft and impeller. When the impeller is rotated, the coolant is passed through the housing and to the laser. The impeller also forces the fluid passing through the shaft and into the casing to cool and lubricate the pump. The magnets are encased in a titanium sleeve attached to the titanium shaft to prevent the coolant from contacting with the magnets.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An apparatus for pumping a liquid coolant comprising:

a casing having a cavity therein and a casing inlet and a casing outlet for the flow of liquid coolant into and from said casing cavity;
a housing attached to one end of said casing, said housing having a cavity therein;
an impeller rotatably mounted inside said housing cavity and operative for moving a liquid coolant through said casing inlet, through said casing cavity and out said casing outlet;
a shaft extending axially through said casing cavity and into said housing cavity and having said impeller coupled to one end thereof;
a permanent magnet attached to said shaft within said casing cavity, said magnet being encased in titanium, whereby said magnet is isolated from the liquid coolant passing through said casing cavity to prevent corrosion thereof and contamination of said liquid coolant;
a source of electric current;
and
an electrical winding electrically coupled to said source of electric current, said electrical winding being located adjacent said casing and external to said casing cavity for inducing a magnetic field within said casing cavity in response to electric current passing through said electrical winding to thereby rotate said shaft having said permanent magnet and impeller attached thereto, whereby said impeller moves said coolant through said casing inlet into said casing cavity and out said casing outlet to thereby cool said casing and electrical winding.

5 more elements

A laser system comprising:

a laser for generating coherent light energy and having a conduit through which a liquid coolant flows to cool said laser;
a heat exchanger coupled to said laser for cooling the liquid coolant after flowing through said laser;
a pump coupled to said laser and to said heat exchanger, said pump being operative to move liquid coolant through said laser conduit in said laser and through said heat exchanger, said laser pump including:
(a) a casing having a cavity therein and a casing inlet for the flow of a liquid coolant into said casing cavity and a casing outlet for the flow of a liquid coolant from said cavity;
(b) a housing attached to one end of said casing and having a housing cavity therein;
(c) an impeller rotatably mounted in said housing cavity and operative for moving said liquid coolant through said casing inlet, into said casing cavity and out said casing outlet;
(d) a shaft extending axially through said casing cavity and into said housing cavity and having said impeller coupled to one end of said shaft;
(e) at least one permanent magnet attached to said shaft within said casing cavity, said magnet being encased in titanium, whereby said magnet is isolated from the liquid coolant to prevent corrosion of said magnet and contamination of said liquid coolant;
(f) a source of electric current;
and
(g) a stator winding electrically coupled to said source of electric current and attached external to said casing cavity, said stator winding inducing a magnetic filed within said casing cavity in response to the electric current passing through said stator winding to rotate said permanent magnet, said shaft and said impeller, such that when said impeller is rotated the liquid coolant is moved through said casing inlet into said casing cavity and out said casing outlet, whereby a laser coolant pump cools said pump casing and stator winding.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.