X-ray tube coolant volume control system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsCharles B. Kendall, Clarence L. Gordon, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An imaging tube coolant volume control system (14) for an imaging tube (18) includes a compensation tank (80) that is configured to fluidically couple an imaging tube cooling circuit (11). The compensation tank (80) includes a cooling fluid (17) and a compensation-dividing member (100). The member (100) is adjustable in response to the change in volume of the cooling fluid (17). An overflow vessel (82) is fluidically coupled to the compensation tank (80). A compensation valve (86) is coupled between the compensation tank (80) and the overflow vessel (82) and allows flow of the cooling fluid between the compensation tank (80) and the overflow vessel (82) when pressure of the cooling fluid (17) is greater than or equal to a first predetermined pressure level.
Claims20
An x-ray imaging tube coolant volume control system for an x-ray imaging tube comprising:
- a compensation tank configured to fluidically couple an x-ray imaging tube cooling circuit and comprising;
- a cooling fluid;
- and
- a compensation-dividing member adjustable in response to change in volume of said cooling fluid;
- an overflow vessel fluidically coupled to said compensation tank;
- and
- a compensation valve coupled between said compensation tank and said overflow vessel and allowing flow of said cooling fluid between said compensation tank and said overflow vessel when pressure of said cooling fluid is greater than or equal to a first predetermined pressure level.
An x-ray imaging tube cooling circuit comprising:
- an x-ray imaging tube vessel;
- and
- an x-ray imaging tube coolant volume control system fluidically coupled to said x-ray imaging tube vessel and comprising;
- a compensation tank configured to fluidically couple an x-ray imaging tube cooling circuit and comprising;
- a cooling fluid;
- and
- a compensation-dividing member adjustable in response to change in volume of said cooling fluid;
- an overflow vessel fluidically coupled to said compensation tank;
- and
- a compensation valve coupled between said compensation tank and said overflow vessel and allowing flow of said cooling fluid between said compensation tank and said overflow vessel when pressure of said cooling fluid is greater than or equal to a first predetermined pressure level.
A method of compensating for a change in volume of a cooling fluid within an x-ray imaging tube comprising:
- enabling the cooling fluid to expand within a compensation tank of an x-ray imaging tube cooling circuit;
- and
- enabling flow of the cooling fluid between said compensation tank and an overflow vessel when pressure of the cooling fluid is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.