Patent Application
20140093042
1. Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relates to a radiation generating unit which is used for such as non-destructive X-ray photography in a medical device field and an industrial device field, and a radiography system which uses the radiation generating unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, by applying a high voltage between a cathode and an anode installed in a radiation tube, a radiation generating unit irradiates an anode with electrons discharged from the cathode and produces radiation rays such as X rays. Such a radiation generating unit adopts a structure in which a radiation tube and a driving unit are accommodated in a container filled with an insulating liquid to cool the radiation tube and to secure the dielectric strength against a high voltage.
When electrons discharged from a cathode are incident on an anode, efficiency to generate radiation rays is poor, and therefore almost all incident energy is converted into heat in the radiation generating unit. The heat generated in the anode is conducted to a radiation tube wall, transmits to the insulating liquid and is finally released to an external atmosphere through a storage container from the insulating liquid.
However, a flow of the insulating liquid in a wide range and effective transfer of heat of a high temperature portion to a low temperature portion are important to sufficiently cool the vicinity of an anode and release heat generated at the anode to an outside through the storage container.
Further, high voltages of about 70 to 150 kV are applied to both poles of a radiation tube. Hence, even when a container is filled with an insulating liquid, creeping discharge occurs at a surrounding portion of the radiation tube in some rare cases, and, when reaching a driving unit, this discharged electricity damages circuits.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-28093 discloses an X-ray generating device in which an X-ray tube is arranged in an insulating outer casing tube provided with multiple holes and with a gap in the surrounding such that insulating oil can freely flow. The insulating oil has a function of preventing discharge of electricity and cooling the X-ray tube.
As described above, although, since a radiation tube is covered by an insulating material in a conventional radiation generating unit, an effect of preventing creeping discharge to a circuit substrate can be expected, an effect of preventing micro creeping discharge of electricity generated near a surface of the radiation tube and in an electric field direction between a cathode and an anode is not provided. Therefore, development of tracking of a radiation tube causes damage on the radiation tube.
Aspects of the present invention generally related to enabling both suppression of creeping discharge and cooling of a radiation tube via a structure of an insulating container that surrounds the radiation tube in a radiation generating unit.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a radiation generating unit includes a radiation tube configured to include a vacuum chamber having a cathode and an anode at both ends of an insulating tubular member, an insulating outer casing tube in which the radiation tube is arranged with a gap from a surrounding, and a driving unit configured to control an operation of the radiation tube, wherein the radiation tube, the insulating outer casing tube, and the driving unit are arranged inside a storage container, and wherein an extra space inside the storage container is filled with an insulating liquid and wherein a wall configured to partition the gap allows a flow of the insulating liquid between a cathode side and an anode side of the vacuum chamber and forms a flow path configured not to linearly continue to the cathode side and the anode side of the vacuum chamber.
Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to the attached drawings).
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described using the drawings. In addition, although a transmissive radiation tube is described, a reflective radiation tube can also be used.
A radiation generating unit 1 has a storage container 41, an insulating outer casing tube 5 which is arranged inside the storage container 41, a radiation tube 2 which is arranged inside the outer casing tube 5 and with a gap from a surrounding and a driving unit 3 which is arranged inside the storage container 41 and outside the outer casing tube 5. An extra space inside the storage container 41 is filled with an insulating liquid 4 which is an insulating medium for securing the creeping dielectric strength of the radiation tube 2 and which is a cooling medium. The driving unit 3 controls an operation of the radiation tube 2.
As illustrated in
The tubular member 30 has a cylindrical shape, and is made of, for example, glass or a ceramic material. The degree of vacuum in the vacuum chamber 25 only needs to be about 1×10−4 to 1×10−8Pa. The shielding member 24 has a channel which continues to the opening portion of the vacuum chamber 25, and, when the support substrate 22b is bonded to this channel to block the channel, the vacuum chamber 25 is sealed. Further, a transmissive radiation tube is used in the present embodiment, and the target 23 itself plays a role of an emission window which emits radiation rays. When a reflective radiation tube is used, an emission window which allows transmission of radiation rays while sealing the vacuum chamber 25 is provided in addition to the target 23.
For the electron source 21, a hot cathode such as a tungsten filament or an impregnated cathode or a cold cathode such as a carbon nanotube can be used.
A constituent material of the target layer 22a is preferably a high atomic number material such as tungsten, tantalum or molybdenum which more easily generates radiation rays. A constituent material of the support substrate 22b is preferably a low atomic number material such as beryllium or diamond which has a high strength and radiation transmissivity.
The driving unit 3 is connected with the electron source 21, a lead electrode 28 and a lens electrode 29, and provides a predetermined voltage. Further, the driving unit 3 applies an acceleration voltage of 40 to 150 kV which is applied between both poles (the cathode 31 and the anode 32) of the radiation tube 2, and which accelerates electrons.
For the insulating liquid 4, electric insulating oil is preferably used and, more specifically, silicone oil, transformer oil or fluorine oil can be suitably used.
The outer casing tube 5 protects the driving unit 3 from electricity discharged from the radiation tube 2. Although the outer casing tube 5 has a cylindrical shape, the outer casing tube 5 may have a shape such as a box as long as a flow path which allows a flow of the insulating liquid 4 is secured. Further, a plurality of holes may be provided to the outer casing tube 5 to prevent creeping discharge to an outside and allow the insulating liquid 4 to easily flow. In this case, by diagonally forming holes in a thickness direction of the outer casing tube 5, it is possible to decrease occurrence of creeping discharge to an outside of the outer casing tube 5.
As illustrated in
An interval between the walls 7 in one column and the interval between the columns form a flow path which allows a flow of the insulating liquid 4 (in the axial direction) between the cathode side and the anode side of the vacuum chamber. Further, intervals between the walls 7 in neighboring columns are completely shifted without overlapping in the axial direction, so that the walls 7 form flow paths which do not linearly continue to the cathode side and the anode side of the vacuum chamber (in the axial direction). Meanwhile, to form linearly non-continuous flow paths, intervals of the walls 7 in one of columns of a plurality of the walls 7 only need to be arranged without overlapping the intervals of the walls 7 in at least one of the other columns in the axial direction.
The walls 7 suppress creeping discharge while preventing linear discharge between the cathode 31 and the anode 32. The wall 7 is made of an insulating material of a flat shape made of an acrylic resin or an epoxy resin. Although the walls 7 in the present embodiment have fan shapes since the outer casing tube 5 and the radiation tube 2 have cylindrical shapes, the shapes of the walls 7 can be adequately selected according to the shapes of the outer casing tube 5 and the radiation tube 2.
As illustrated in
Simply providing the outer casing tube 5 can prevent expansion of a discharge damage on the surrounding, and cannot decrease an occurrence rate of micro creeping discharge which occurs between the cathode 31 and the anode 32. When even micro creeping discharge is repeated, discharge decomposition of the insulating liquid 4 proceeds, thereby deteriorating the insulating liquid 4. Further, tracking occurs on the surface of the radiation tube 2 in some cases, which accelerates long-term deterioration of a dielectric strength of the entire radiation generating unit 1.
The present embodiment employs a configuration having a plurality of walls 7 between the outer casing tube 5 and the tubular member 30, so that it is possible to divide an electric field between both poles and, consequently, suppress micro discharge which occurs on the surface of the radiation tube 2.
Further, the walls 7 which are aligned to surround the radiation tube 2 and which have intervals arranged not to linearly continue in the axial direction are provided, so that it is possible to secure a flow of the insulating liquid 4 without undermining an effect of suppressing creeping discharge. Furthermore, positions of the intervals between the walls 7 are shifted, so that the insulating liquid 4 uniformly flows on the surface of the radiation tube 2 and effectively cool the entire radiation tube 2.
As illustrated in
The cutout portions 8 provided to each wall 7 and intervals between the walls 7 provided in the axial direction form a flow path which allows a flow of the insulating liquid 4. Further, positions of the cutout portions 8 of the neighboring walls 7 are completely shifted without overlapping to form a flow path which does not linearly continue in the axial direction. Meanwhile, to form a linearly non-continuous flow path, the cutout portions 8 of the walls 7 in one column of a plurality of the walls 7 only need to be arranged without overlapping the cutout portions 8 of at least one of the other walls 7. In addition,
The cutout portion 8 has an almost semi-circular shape, and is provided on a contact side of the wall 7 with respect to the tubular member 30. Although the cutout portion 8 can be provided on an outer periphery side of the wall 7 which is the contact side with respect to the outer casing tube 5, the insulating liquid 4 which can easily cool the radiation tube 2 easily flows, and therefore the cutout portion 8 is preferably provided on the contact side of the wall 7 with respect to the tubular member 30.
According to the present embodiment, the walls 7 are not divided in a circumferential direction, so that it is possible to reduce the number of the walls 7 compared to the first embodiment.
As illustrated in
According to the present embodiment, a length along the outer surface of the tubular member 30 in the axial direction is long compared to the first embodiment, so that creeping discharge between the cathode 31 and the anode 32 is more easily suppressed. Further, the walls 7 according to the second embodiment or a fourth embodiment described below can also be used.
As illustrated in
According to the present embodiment, the wall 7 is not divided, so that the number of members is one.
An example of a radiography system according to the present embodiment will be described based on
The radiation generating unit 1 described in the first to fourth embodiments, and a movable diaphragm unit 100 provided to an emission window 110 portion form a radiation generating device 200. The movable diaphragm unit 100 has a function of adjusting a range of a radiation field of radiation rays irradiated from the radiation generating unit 1. Further, the movable diaphragm unit 100 to which a function of providing mock-up of a radiation field of radiation rays by means of visible light is added can also be used.
A system control device 202 controls the radiation generating device 200 and a radiation detecting device 201 in combination. The driving unit 3 outputs various control signals to the radiation tube 2 under control of the system control device 202. According to this control signal, a release state of radiation rays released from the radiation generating device 200 is controlled. The radiation ray released from the radiation generating device 200 transmits through a test object 204 and is detected by a detector 206. The detector 206 converts the detected radiation ray into an image signal, and outputs the image signal to a signal processing unit 205. The signal processing unit 205 performs predetermined signal processing on the image signal under control of the system control device 202, and outputs the processed image signal to the system control device 202. The system control device 202 outputs a display signal for causing a display device 203 to display an image, to the display device 203 based on the processed image signal. The display device 203 displays the image based on the display signal, on a screen as a captured image of the test object 204. A typical example of a radiation ray is an X ray, and the radiation generating unit 1 and the radiography system according to the present embodiment can be used as an X-ray generating unit and an X-ray photography system. The X-ray photography system can be used for non-destructive inspection of industrial products and for pathological diagnosis of human bodies and animals.
Example 1 will be described using
The dimensions of main parts of a radiation tube 2 include 45 mm of a tube diameter and 80 mm of a tube length, and an insulating portion is made using alumina ceramics, an external electrode on a cathode side is made using stainless steel and an external electrode on an anode side is made using stainless steel and copper as main materials.
The dimensions of the main parts of an outer casing tube 5 include 60 mm of the inner diameter, 100 mm of an outer casing tube length, and the outer casing tube 5 is made of an acrylic resin having 5 mm of the thickness.
The wall 7 provided between an outer surface of the radiation tube 2 and an inner wall of the outer casing tube 5 is formed using an acrylic resin having the thickness of 5 mm, the dimensions of the main parts include 7.5 mm of height, and the three walls 7 are arranged at about 60 mm of intervals to form a gap 11 in each outer periphery column in a coaxial circumferential direction of the radiation tube 2. Six columns are arranged at 7.5 mm of intervals in a length direction of the radiation tube, and are arranged by being each shifted 60 degrees in the circumferential direction such that the gaps 11 do not overlap between neighboring columns.
Example 2 will be described using
Dimensions of main parts of the radiation tube 2 are the same as those in Example 1, and include 45 mm of a tube diameter and 80 mm of a tube length. An insulating portion is made using alumina ceramics, an external electrode on a cathode side is made using stainless steel and an external electrode on an anode side is made using stainless steel and copper as main materials.
The dimensions of the outer casing tube 5 are the same as those in Example 1, the dimensions of the main part include 60 mm of the inner diameter, 100 mm of an outer casing tube length and the outer casing tube is made of an epoxy resin having 5 mm of the thickness.
In present Example, a wall provided between an outer surface of the radiation tube 2 and an inner wall of the outer casing tube 5 is the wall 7 which is an annular body formed using an epoxy resin having 2 mm of the thickness. This wall 7 adopts a structure in which four cutout portions 8 are provided at equal intervals.
The wall 7 has 7.5 mm of the height, and the nine walls 7 are arranged at 5 mm of intervals in a length direction of a radiation tube. The walls 7 which are neighboring in the longitudinal direction of the radiation tube are arranged by being each rotated at 30 degrees in a circumferential direction so that the cutout portions 8 do not overlap at the same positions.
Example 3 will be described using
Both poles of a radiation tube 2 have different tube diameters in a direction in which both poles oppose. Accordingly, structures of the walls 7 have different heights depending on positions at which both poles of the walls 7A and 7B are installed.
The tube diameter is 45 mm of a maximum diameter and is 30 mm of a minimum diameter, and a tube length is 80 mm.
An insulating portion is made using a glass material, an external electrode on a cathode side is made using stainless steel and an external electrode on an anode side is made using stainless steel and copper as main materials.
The dimensions of the main parts of the outer casing tube 5 include 60 mm of the inner diameter, 100 mm of an outer casing tube length, and the outer casing is made of an epoxy resin having 5 mm of the thickness.
The wall 7 provided between a surface of the radiation tube 2 and an inner wall of the outer casing tube 5 is formed using an epoxy resin having 5 mm of the thickness, and the height thereof is adjusted according to a position at which the wall 7 is installed as illustrated in
Similar to Example 1, the three walls 7 are arranged at about 10 mm of intervals to form the gap 11 in each outer peripheral column in the coaxial circumferential direction of the radiation tube 2 and secure a flow path. Six columns are arranged at 7.5 mm of intervals in a longitudinal direction of the radiation tube, and are arranged by being each shifted 60 degrees in the circumferential direction such that the gaps 11 do not overlap between the neighboring columns.
Example 4 will be described using
The dimensions of main parts of the radiation tube 2 are the same as those in Example 1.
A tube diameter is 45 mm and a tube length is 80 mm, and an insulating portion is made using alumina ceramics, an external electrode on a cathode side is made using stainless steel and an external electrode on an anode side is made using stainless steel and copper as main materials.
The dimensions of the main parts of the outer casing tube 5 include 60 mm of the inner diameter, 100 mm of an outer casing tube length, and the outer casing tube is made of an acrylic resin having 5 mm of the thickness.
A wall 7 provided between an outer surface of the radiation tube 2 and an inner wall of the outer casing tube 5 adopts a structure obtained by spirally molding epoxy resins having 2 mm of the thickness and 7.5 mm of the height and providing about 10 mm of intervals between columns, in the inner wall of the radiation tube 2.
Even this configuration can secure the walls in an electric field direction and a flow path of the insulating liquid.
Although the radiation tube 2 described in each of the above Examples is attached to a radiation generating unit 1 and an acceleration voltage of 100 kV is applied, discharged electricity is not detected from an outside.
Further, when high voltage insulating oil is used as the insulating liquid 4, a flow is caused along the surface of the radiation tube by an electrohydrodynamic effect and insulating oil circulates inside and outside the outer casing tube 5, so that it is possible to perform effective cooling.
The present embodiment adopts a structure in which an outer side of a radiation tube is covered by an insulating outer casing tube and, consequently, can prevent discharged electricity generated near the radiation tube from damaging a substrate such as a driving circuit in the surrounding.
A flow path which allows a flow of an insulating liquid is provided between a cathode side and an anode side of a vacuum chamber, so that the insulating liquid can flow on the surface of the radiation tube and the insulating liquid can circulate inside and outside the outer casing tube. Consequently, it is possible to efficiently cool the radiation tube and perform continuous irradiation of radiation rays at a high output for a long period of time.
Further, the flow path does not linearly continue to the cathode side and the anode side of the vacuum chamber, so that it is possible to effectively suppress occurrence of creeping discharge through the flow path and suppress deterioration of an insulating liquid and development of tracking of the radiation tube.
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, these embodiments are not seen to be limiting. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-219989, filed Oct. 2, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-219989 | Oct 2012 | JP | national |
