CN204795818U - Ejector system - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to an emitter system, the X-ray emitter includes an emitter housing, and an X-ray tube is arranged inside the emitter housing, wherein the emitter housing is arranged in a cooling cycle, and the cooling The circulation is filled with a cooling medium (2) and has an emitter cooler with at least one compensating container (1) in which at least one non- Contact distance sensor (3).

Description

transmitter system

technical field

The utility model relates to a transmitter system.

Background technique

Known emitter systems include an x-ray emitter with an emitter housing in which an x-ray tube is arranged. The launcher housing is arranged in a cooling circuit, in which a cooling medium circulates. In order to recool the cooling medium, an emitter cooler (cooling unit) with at least one compensation container is arranged in the cooling circuit. In order to ensure reliable cooling of the X-ray tube in the X-ray emitter, it is necessary to monitor the filling state of the cooling medium in the emitter cooler. This is necessary especially in x-ray emitters with a relatively high thermal capacity, so-called high-power x-ray emitters, since in these cases the cooling medium (coolant) must not flow out of the emitter system. An amount of coolant that is too small (due to, for example, leakage or underfilling) may affect cooling efficiency. Excessive coolant volume (for example due to overfill or thermal expansion due to load) can create pressure inside the cooling cycle. The maximum filling state is usually monitored indirectly by means of a mechanical pressure switch in the compensating container of the emitter cooler. Such pressure switches are rotation-sensitive, so the switching point changes when subjected to a rotational load. Such a pressure switch is therefore not suitable for the transmitter system of a CT system. The mechanical aging of the pressure switch in turn leads to increased inaccuracies in the switching process.

Utility model content

The technical problem to be solved by the utility model is to provide a transmitter system which monitors the filling state of the cooling medium without rotation sensitivity.

According to the invention, this technical problem is solved by a transmitter system. The emitter system has an x-ray emitter comprising an emitter housing in which an x-ray tube is arranged, wherein the emitter housing is arranged in a cooling circuit, the The cooling circuit is filled with a cooling medium (coolant) and has an emitter cooler with at least one compensation container. According to the invention, at least one non-contact distance sensor is arranged in at least one compensation container.

The term "contactless distance sensor" is understood to mean a sensor which does not require mechanical elements for distance measurement. Contactless distance sensors include, for example, optoelectronic sensors, acoustic sensors, inductive sensors and capacitive sensors. Optoelectronic sensors, also known as photoluminescence sensors, comprise at least one light source as transmitter and at least one photosensitive element as receiver.

Since the transmitter system according to the invention uses a contactless distance sensor instead of a mechanical pressure switch, the level of the cooling medium is measured without contact. Since no mechanical devices susceptible to rotation are used for the measurement, continuous, contactless measurements are possible. By continuously monitoring the minimum and maximum filling states of the cooling medium circulating in the launcher system, faults in the launcher cooler and in the cooling circuit as well as in the launcher housing can be detected at an early stage. Such faults are, for example, due to undesired gas formation in the liquid cooling medium (overheating of the cooling fluid) and filling state problems due to leaks.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the transmitter system, the contactless distance sensor is designed as an optoelectronic distance sensor. The optoelectronic distance sensor is preferably designed as a so-called “reflective sensor”, ie has a housing in which at least one transmitter (light source) and at least one receiver (photosensitive element) are arranged.

According to a preferred embodiment, the optoelectronic distance sensor is designed as an infrared sensor. Such distance sensors are structurally simple and are therefore correspondingly reliable.

For special applications it is advantageous if the optoelectronic distance sensor is designed as a laser sensor.

In a particularly preferred refinement, a spring-loaded piston is arranged in the compensating container. In this case, the position of the piston is advantageously detected exclusively by means of a non-contact distance sensor, in order thereby to obtain a very accurate indication of the filling state of the cooling medium in the expansion vessel. Since the shape of the piston remains constant when the transmitter system is rotated, this embodiment is particularly suitable for use in CT systems.

It is particularly advantageous here if the contactless distance sensor is arranged between the piston and the upper inner wall of the compensation container.

However, the contactless distance sensor does not have to be arranged on the upper inner wall of the compensation container. Thus, the non-contact distance sensor can also be arranged, for example, on a lateral inner wall of the compensation container.

Another advantageous embodiment consists in that the piston remains in the upper position in the maximum filling state of the compensation container. Due to the preloaded spring, the piston is automatically lowered when the coolant level drops.

In another refinement, the piston has a membrane on the side facing the cooling medium. This ensures in a simple and effective manner that no cooling medium can flow between the outer wall of the piston and the inner wall of the compensation container, ie past the piston, into the upper region of the compensation container and thus erroneously measure the filling state.

Within the scope of the present invention, the cooling medium may be a liquid cooling medium or a gaseous cooling medium.

Description of drawings

The schematically shown embodiments of the present utility model are further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present utility model is not limited thereto.

The single FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a compensating container of a transmitter system according to the invention in a schematic sectional view.

Detailed ways

In the single FIG. 1 , reference numeral 1 designates a compensating container, which is part of an emitter cooler. Within the scope of the invention, the emitter cooler can also comprise a plurality of compensation containers.

Such an emitter cooler is part of the emitter system which is not shown in the figures for the sake of clarity of illustration and serves to recool the cooling medium 2 which Circulation within the housing. An x-ray tube is arranged in the emitter housing of the x-ray emitter, which has to be cooled by the cooling medium 2 . The emitter housing is arranged together with an emitter cooler in a cooling circuit filled with a cooling medium 2 .

A non-contact distance sensor 3 and a piston 4 with a preloaded spring 5 are arranged in the compensation container 1 .

The position of the piston 4 is thus advantageously detected exclusively by the non-contact distance sensor 3 in order to thereby obtain a very accurate indication of the filling state of the cooling medium 2 in the expansion vessel 1 . This is therefore an indirect non-contact measurement of the filling state which is more accurate than a direct non-contact measurement of the fill level of the coolant 2 and which is suitable for both liquid and gaseous coolants.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the contactless distance sensor 3 is designed as an optoelectronic distance sensor, in particular an infrared sensor, and is arranged between the piston 4 and the upper inner wall 7 of the compensation container 1 .

In the exemplary embodiment shown, optoelectronic distance sensor 3 is designed as a so-called “reflective sensor” which has a housing in which a transmitter (light source) and a receiver (photosensitive element) are arranged. A light beam 6 emitted by the transmitter of the distance sensor 3 impinges on the piston 4 , is reflected by the piston 4 and is detected by a receiver arranged in the distance sensor 3 . The distance between distance sensor 3 and piston 4 is determined by means of evaluation electronics, not shown in the drawing, and the current filling state in compensation container 1 is calculated from this. Corresponding warnings about the filling state of the cooling medium 2 are output if necessary.

In a state of maximum filling of coolant 2 in compensation container 1 , piston 4 is in an upper position, and in a state of minimum filling of coolant 2 , piston 4 is in a lower position. The maximum filling state occurs when the transmitter system has no loss of cooling medium 2 (coolant). When the coolant is lost, the filling state of the coolant 2 in the compensating container 1 is reduced and the piston 4 is automatically lowered due to the pretensioned spring 5 .

In the refinement shown in the drawing, the piston 4 also has a membrane 8 on the side facing the cooling medium. This ensures in a simple and effective manner that no cooling medium 2 can penetrate between the outer wall 9 of the piston 4 and the lateral inner wall 10 of the compensation container 1 , that is, from beside the piston 4 , into the upper region of the compensation container 1 and thus prevent the There is an error in the measurement of the filling state.

Although the details of the present invention have been described in detail through a preferred embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. A person skilled in the art can easily derive further variants of the solution according to the invention from this without departing from the idea on which the invention is based.

Claims (10)

1. An emitter system having an X-ray emitter comprising an emitter housing in which an X-ray tube is arranged, wherein the emitter housing Arranged in a cooling circuit filled with a cooling medium (2) and having an emitter cooler with at least one compensating vessel (1), characterized in that at least one compensating vessel ( 1) At least one non-contact distance sensor (3) is arranged. 2. Transmitter system according to claim 1, characterized in that the contactless distance sensor (3) is designed as an optoelectronic distance sensor. 3. Transmitter system according to claim 2, characterized in that the optoelectronic distance sensor (3) is an infrared sensor. 4. Transmitter system according to claim 2, characterized in that the optoelectronic distance sensor (3) is a laser sensor. 5. The transmitter system according to claim 1, characterized in that a piston (4) with a pretensioned spring (5) is arranged in the compensating container (1). 6. Transmitter system according to claim 5, characterized in that the contactless distance sensor (3) is arranged between the piston (4) and the upper inner wall (7) of the compensating container (1). 7. The transmitter system as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the piston (4) is held in the upper position in the maximum filling state of the compensation container (1). 8. The transmitter system as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the piston (4) has a membrane (8) on the side facing the cooling medium (2). 9. The transmitter system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the cooling medium (2) is a liquid cooling medium. 10. The transmitter system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the cooling medium (2) is a gaseous cooling medium.