Liquid metal heat pipe structure for x-ray target

• Main Authors: Lu, Qing K, Xu, Paul M, Wandke, Norman E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.10.2004

The present invention relates to x-ray tube technology and is particularly related to a rotating anode x-ray tube having a liquid metal heat pipe apparatus that transfers heat from the region of a focal track of the anode and will be described with particular respect thereto. An x-ray tube () includes an evacuated envelope (), a cathode assembly () located in the evacuated envelope and a disk shaped anode assembly () located in the evacuated envelope in operative relationship with the cathode assembly for generating x-rays (). The anode assembly includes an axis of rotation () and a target substrate () facing the cathode assembly. A heat pipe () is located within the anode assembly (). The heat pipe is comprised of an evacuated shell () and is vacuum sealed at a first end () of the shell and at a second end (). A material () within the shell is a working fluid for the heat pipe at x-ray tube operating conditions. A porous wick () is located within the shell and the wick has a length extending from the first end () of the shell to the second end () of the shell. A shield () is attached to the wick to reduce working fluid loss out of the wick during x-ray tube operation.