Apparatus and method of cooling a liquid metal bearing in an x-ray tube
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorEdwin L. Legall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An x-ray tube includes a center shaft having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface forming a portion of a cavity therein, a mount having an inner surface, the mount having an x-ray target attached thereto, and a liquid metal positioned between the outer surface of the center shaft and the inner surface of the mount. The x-ray tube further includes a flow diverter positioned in the cavity, the flow diverter having a wall with an inner surface, and a plurality of jets passing through the wall, wherein the plurality of jets are configured such that when a fluid is flowed into the flow diverter and passes along its inner surface, a portion of the fluid passes through the plurality of jets and is directed toward the inner surface of the center shaft.
Claims23
An x-ray tube comprising:
- a center shaft having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface forming a portion of a cavity therein;
- a mount having an inner surface, the mount having an x-ray target attached thereto;
- a liquid metal positioned between the outer surface of the center shaft and the inner surface of the mount;
- a flow diverter positioned in the cavity, the flow diverter having a wall with an inner surface, and a plurality of jets passing through the wall;
- wherein the plurality of jets are configured such that when a fluid is flowed into the flow diverter and passes along its inner surface, a portion of the fluid passes through the plurality of jets and is directed toward the inner surface of the center shaft.
A method of assembling an x-ray tube comprising:
- providing a center mount structure having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- forming a passageway in the center mount structure, the passageway configured to pass a coolant therein;
- providing a rotatable mount structure having an inner surface;
- attaching a target to the rotatable mount structure;
- applying a liquid metal to one of the outer surface of the center mount structure and the inner surface of the rotatable mount structure;
- coupling the rotatable mount structure to the center mount structure such that the liquid metal is positioned between the outer surface of the center mount structure and the inner surface of the rotatable mount structure;
- and
- coupling a porous material to the inner surface of the center mount structure.
A spiral groove bearing (SGB) comprising:
- a column having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, the inner diameter partially enclosing a hollow;
- a mount having an inner diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the column, wherein the mount is configured to attach an x-ray target thereto;
- a liquid metal positioned between the outer diameter of the column and the inner diameter of the mount;
- and
- a porous-meshed heat transfer-enhancement media coupled to the inner diameter of the column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.