Systems and methods for cooling X-ray tubes and detectors

Inventors

Karlstedt, Dan Martin Gustav

Assignees

Tark Thermal Solutions Inc

Abstract

According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are disclosed of systems that may be used for cooling objects, such as X-ray tubes and detectors, etc. Also disclosed are exemplary embodiments of methods for cooling objects, such as X-ray tubes and detectors, etc. For example, an exemplary embodiment includes a system that can be used to cool an X-ray tube and detector with one chiller. As another example, an exemplary embodiment of a method includes using one chiller to cool an X-ray tube and detector.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a system with an active or passive chiller for cooling a coolant and a thermoelectric assembly situated on an object. One or more conduits circulate the coolant from the chiller to the thermoelectric assembly such that the coolant passes through the thermoelectric assembly, enabling the thermoelectric assembly to be usable for actively cooling and/or for controlling temperature of the object. The system further includes one or more conduits for returning the coolant from the thermoelectric assembly back to the chiller.

The system is configured to divert a portion of the coolant from the chiller to the thermoelectric assembly. At the same time, the system circulates at least a portion of the remaining undiverted coolant from the chiller to another object for cooling of the another object. The diversion and return arrangement maintains coolant flow to the thermoelectric assembly while preserving coolant flow to the other object.

In some configurations, the chiller comprises a passive chiller and/or the one or more conduits comprise uninsulated hoses to circulate the coolant from the passive chiller to the another object and the thermoelectric assembly and back to the passive chiller. In additional configurations for imaging, the thermoelectric assembly is situated on an X-ray image detector plate, and the remaining undiverted coolant is circulated to an X-ray tube for cooling of the X-ray tube. In these arrangements, the thermoelectric assembly is usable for actively cooling and/or for controlling temperature of the X-ray image detector plate.

Claims Coverage

The provided document excerpts include four independent claims. Across these independent claims, the core inventive features are coolant diversion from a single active or passive chiller to a thermoelectric assembly on an object or on an X-ray image detector plate, while circulating undiverted coolant to another object or to an X-ray tube, with configurations that include passive cooling and/or uninsulated hoses and a single-chiller constraint for dual cooling.

The claim coverage centers on using a single active or passive chiller with conduits to divert a portion of coolant to a thermoelectric assembly for actively cooling and/or controlling temperature, while returning coolant to the chiller and sending undiverted coolant to another object, including an X-ray tube in X-ray configurations. Additional independent-claim constraints specify passive chiller and/or uninsulated hoses and the use of only one chiller for cooling multiple components.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications