Cooling apparatus and radiation apparatus

Abstract

A cooling apparatus and a radiation apparatus using same. The cooling apparatus (100) can be used for cooling an X-ray source (200) in the radiation apparatus. The cooling apparatus (100) comprises: a structural frame (110); a heat dissipation device (120), installed inside the structural frame (110), the heat dissipation device (120) being configured to form a heat dissipation airflow passing therethrough; and a cooling unit (130), installed inside the structural frame (110) independently of the heat dissipation device (120), and located in a region through which the heat dissipation airflow flows; wherein the cooling unit (130) is configured to provide a cooling medium to flow through the X-ray source (200) for heat exchange, and the heat dissipation device (120) is further configured to communicate with the cooling unit (130) to dissipate heat from the cooling medium entering the interior of the heat dissipation device (120).

Description

Cooling device and radiating device

[0001] The present application claims priority from Chinese Patent Application No. 202410582220.3 filed on May 11, 2024, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of security inspection, in particular to a cooling device and a radiating device. BACKGROUND

[0003] Distributed X-ray source, also known as X-ray multi-source, refers to a vacuum device in which multiple X-ray point sources are arranged according to a certain spatial sequence in a single vacuum cavity. The device can trigger X-ray generation according to a specific time and space sequence, providing a choice for new X-ray sources and CT, and has great application prospects in the fields of medical treatment, security inspection and industrial non-destructive testing.

[0004] In the working process of a distributed X-ray source, such as a multi-focus carbon nanotube distributed X-ray tube, the cathode generates an electron beam, which is accelerated by a high-voltage electric field to bombard the anode target and generate X-ray emission. However, from the perspective of power, only a small part of the kinetic energy is converted into effective X-rays, and most of the kinetic energy of the electron beam is directly converted into heat and deposited on the anode target. If this heat is not handled in time, the temperature of the anode target will rise sharply and soon cannot work stably. To ensure the long-term continuous and stable operation of the distributed X-ray source, the anode, which is the core power device, needs to be forcibly cooled. In addition to high temperature, the anode is also in a high-voltage state when working, so it must be cooled through a special high-insulation medium. However, the installation space of the distributed X-ray source is small, and the conventional cooling system is not suitable. To achieve the above purposes at the same time, a compact cooling system needs to be developed, and each component of the cooling system must be integrated in a small space, and the cooling medium must not be punctured under high-voltage working conditions.

[0005] The above information disclosed in this section is only for the understanding of the background of the disclosed concept of the present disclosure, and therefore, the above information can contain information that does not constitute the related art. SUMMARY

[0006] The present disclosure provides a cooling device and a radiating device using the same, which can be used for cooling the X-ray source in the radiating device.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cooling device, comprising: a structural frame; a heat sink mounted inside the structural frame, the heat sink being configured to form a heat dissipation airflow therethrough; a cooling unit mounted inside the structural frame independently from the heat sink, and located in a flow-through region of the heat dissipation airflow; wherein the cooling unit is configured to provide a cooling medium to flow through an X-ray source for heat exchange, and the heat sink is further configured to communicate with the cooling unit to dissipate heat from the cooling medium entering the heat sink.

[0008] In some illustrative embodiments, the cooling device further comprises: a temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of the cooling medium in the cooling unit; and a control unit communicatively connected with the temperature detection unit and the heat sink, the control unit being configured to control a flow rate of the heat dissipation airflow according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit.

[0009] In some illustrative embodiments, the heat sink comprises: M fans, M being an integer greater than or equal to 1; and the control unit controls the flow rate of the heat dissipation airflow by controlling a rotation speed of at least one of the fans.

[0010] In some illustrative embodiments, the cooling unit comprises: a storage unit configured to store the cooling medium; a first pipe in communication with the storage unit and defining a delivery channel for the cooling medium to flow into the X-ray source; and a second pipe in communication with the storage unit and defining a delivery channel for the cooling medium to flow out of the X-ray source; wherein the storage unit, the first pipe, the X-ray source, and the second pipe form a circulation flow loop of the cooling medium.

[0011] In some illustrative embodiments, the cooling medium comprises insulating oil, the storage unit comprises an insulating oil tank, and the cooling unit further comprises: an oil pump configured to draw the cooling medium from the insulating oil tank and send it into the first pipe.

[0012] In some illustrative embodiments, the temperature detection unit comprises: a first temperature sensor connected with the first pipe and configured to detect an outflow temperature of the cooling medium in the first pipe; and a second temperature sensor connected with the second pipe and configured to detect a backflow temperature of the cooling medium in the second pipe; and the control unit is configured to control the flow rate of the heat dissipation airflow according to the outflow temperature and / or the backflow temperature.

[0013] In some illustrative embodiments, the control unit is configured to: when a temperature difference between the backflow temperature and the outflow temperature is greater than or equal to a specific threshold value, issue an alarm information.

[0014] In some illustrative embodiments, the cooling device further comprises: a pressure sensor connected with the first pipe and configured to detect a pressure of the cooling medium in the first pipe; and / or a flow meter connected with the second pipe and configured to detect a flow rate of the cooling medium in the second pipe.

[0015] In some illustrative embodiments, the X-ray source comprises a distributed X-ray source comprising N X-ray tubes, N being an integer greater than or equal to 2, the cooling medium being configured to flow through the N X-ray tubes in series for heat exchange one after another; or, the cooling medium being configured to flow through the N X-ray tubes in parallel for heat exchange.

[0016] In some illustrative embodiments, the structural frame defines internally: a first space for mounting the heat sink; and a second space below the first space for mounting the cooling unit; wherein the heat sink is configured to draw air flow from the second space to form a heat dissipation air flow.

[0017] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a radiation device comprising: an X-ray source; and the above-mentioned cooling device.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will be partially given in the following description, partially will become apparent from the following description, or will be learned by practice of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] For better understanding of the present disclosure, the present disclosure will be described in detail according to the following drawings:

[0020] Fig. 1 is a structural diagram of a cooling device according to some illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] Fig. 2 is a front view of a structural frame according to some illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] Fig. 3 is a structural diagram of a heat sink according to some illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] Fig. 4 is a structural diagram of a cooling unit according to some illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] Fig. 5 is a working principle diagram of a cooling device according to some illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0025] Fig. 6 is a working principle diagram of a cooling device according to some other illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] 100: cooling device

[0028] 200: X-ray source

[0029] 110: structural frame

[0030] 120: heat sink

[0031] 130: cooling unit

[0032] 140: temperature detection unit

[0033] 121: fan

[0034] 131: first pipe

[0035] 132: second pipe

[0036] 133: storage unit

[0037] 134: oil pump

[0038] 141: first temperature sensor

[0039] 142: second temperature sensor

[0040] 150: pressure sensor

[0041] 160: flow meter

[0042] 170: filter element

[0043] 180: expansion tank

[0044] 190: overflow valve

[0045] 210a, 210b, 210c: ray tube DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below, it should be noted that the embodiments described herein are only used for illustration and do not limit the present disclosure. In the following description, a large number of specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure does not necessarily have to be implemented with these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures, materials or methods are not specifically described in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure.

[0047] Throughout the specification, the reference to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "one example", or "an example" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment", "in an embodiment", "one example" or "an example" appearing throughout the specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, specific features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any appropriate combination and / or sub-combination in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art should understand that the term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0048] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including" and the like are specifically intended to be open-ended and to mean that other features, steps, operations, and / or components can be added.

[0049] All terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the meanings commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, unless otherwise defined. It should be noted that the terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with the context of the specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal way.

[0050] In the related art, when the distributed X-ray tube is running, the temperature of the anode target will rise sharply, and if it is not cooled in time, it will affect its stable work. In addition to high temperature, the anode target is also in a high pressure state, and the equipment installation space of the distributed X-ray tube is small, so there are higher requirements for the cooling device.

[0051] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cooling device for an X-ray source. The cooling device comprises a structural frame; a heat sink mounted inside the structural frame, the heat sink being configured to form a heat dissipation airflow passing therethrough; a cooling unit mounted independently of the heat sink inside the structural frame and located in a flow-through area of the heat dissipation airflow; wherein the cooling unit is configured to provide a cooling medium to flow through the X-ray source for heat exchange, and the heat sink is further configured to communicate with the cooling unit to dissipate heat from the cooling medium entering the interior of the heat sink.

[0052] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a cooling device for an X-ray source is provided, which concentrates the heat sink and the cooling unit in one structural frame, and the overall layout is reasonable and compact. Through the cooling method combining the cooling medium and the heat dissipation airflow, the heat generated during the operation of the X-ray source can be timely taken away, the continuous and stable operation of the X-ray tube is ensured, and the purpose of protecting the X-ray tube is achieved.

[0053] FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a cooling device according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a front view of a structural frame according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of a heat sink according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of a cooling unit according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; and FIG. 5 is a working principle diagram of a cooling device according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0054] It should be noted that the cooling device 100 shown in FIGS. 1-4 is a schematic cooling device 100 to help those skilled in the art understand the technical content of the present disclosure, but does not mean that the cooling device 100 of the embodiments of the present disclosure cannot have other structures.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the cooling device 100 can include a structural frame 110, a radiator 120 and a cooling unit 130, which can be used for cooling and temperature reduction of the X-ray source 200. The X-ray source 200 can be, for example, a distributed X-ray light source. For the sake of simplicity of the illustration, the X-ray source 200 is not shown in FIG. 1, and the X-ray source 200 and its cooling and temperature reduction principle will be further described later in conjunction with FIG. 4.

[0056] Please continue to refer to FIG. 1, the radiator 120 is installed inside the structural frame 110 and is configured to form a heat dissipation airflow passing therethrough. The radiator 120 is independently installed inside the structural frame 110 from the cooling unit 130, and the cooling unit 130 is located in a passing area of the heat dissipation airflow. The cooling unit 130 is configured to provide a cooling medium to flow through the X-ray source 200 for heat exchange. The radiator 120 is further configured to communicate with the cooling unit 130 to dissipate heat from the cooling medium entering the inside of the radiator 120.

[0057] It can be understood that in the cooling device 100, two flow forms are formed, one is the flow of the heat dissipation airflow, and the other is the flow of the cooling medium, and at least two heat exchanges are performed. The cooling medium flows through the X-ray source 200, and one heat exchange is performed with the core heat generating components of the X-ray source 200. Then, the heat dissipation airflow flows through the radiator 120 and the cooling unit 130, and another heat exchange is performed with the cooling medium in the radiator 120 and the cooling unit 130, that is, the cooling of the core heat generating components of the X-ray source 200 is completed, and the heat generated by the X-ray source 200 is conducted to the outside of the cooling device 100. By making the heat dissipation airflow and the cooling medium flow continuously, the continuous cooling of the core heat generating components of the X-ray source 200 can be achieved, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the core heat generating components of the X-ray source 200. The radiator 120 can be, for example, a finned tube structure with good heat dissipation performance, so as to increase the heat dissipation surface area and improve the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0058] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, a cooling device for an X-ray source is provided, which concentrates the radiator and the cooling unit in one structural frame, and the overall layout is reasonable and compact. After the heat generated by the X-ray tube during operation is timely taken away by the cooling medium, the cooling medium can be cooled in the radiator. Moreover, the cooling unit is located in a passing area of the heat dissipation airflow, and the radiator can be used to cool the cooling unit structure itself and the cooling medium inside the cooling unit. Therefore, by combining the oil cooling and the air cooling, the multiple heat dissipation effects of the X-ray tube, the cooling medium and the cooling unit can be achieved.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the structural frame 110 can be a box structure (e.g., a semi-enclosed or fully-enclosed box) for example, which defines a first space and a second space inside. The first space is used for installing the heat sink 120; the second space is below the first space and is used for installing the cooling unit 130. The heat sink 120 is configured to draw air flow from the second space to form a heat dissipation air flow.

[0060] For example, the second space below the heat sink 120 can be designed as a hollow structure, which is conducive to air flow circulation and does not need to increase the air flow space required by the heat sink 120, thereby meeting the integrated compact design. The mesh structure can be made on the side of the structural frame 110 or the side opposite to the heat sink 120, so that the external cold air is more easily drawn into the structural frame 110 by the heat sink 120, and then discharged after passing through the cooling unit 130 and the heat sink 120 in turn, thereby completing the heat exchange inside the structural frame 110. The structural frame 110 can be made of a metal material with good heat dissipation performance, so as to facilitate heat dissipation through the outer surface of the structural frame 110. The structural frame 110 also usually needs to have good rigidity to support the heat sink 120 and the cooling unit 130. In this way, the heat dissipation air flow can flow better in the structural frame 110, thereby greatly improving the heat dissipation efficiency. It should be noted that the heat dissipation air flow in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is only a schematic and does not mean that the heat dissipation air flow only flows from or can only flow from the right side in the figure.

[0061] Please continue to refer to FIG. 1, the cooling device 100 can also include a temperature detection unit 140 and a control unit (not shown in the figure).

[0062] The temperature detection unit 140 is configured to detect the temperature of the cooling medium in the cooling unit 130. For example, a plurality of temperature sensors can be arranged on the flow loop of the cooling medium to detect the temperature difference and temperature change at different positions. The control unit is in communication connection with the temperature detection unit 140 and the heat sink 120, and the control unit is configured to control the flow rate of the heat dissipation air flow according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 140, thereby controlling the heat exchange in the cooling device 100.

[0063] It should be emphasized that by collecting the temperature difference and temperature change data detected by the temperature detection unit 140, the performance of the heat sink 120 can also be evaluated, and maintenance can be prompted by the system before the heat dissipation performance is in a critical state, thereby realizing intelligent evaluation and prediction of the cooling device 100, and laying a foundation for intelligent control of the cooling device 100.

[0064] Please continue to refer to FIG. 1, the heat sink 120 can include a fan 121, through the fan 121, the cold air outside the cooling device 100 is blown into the inside of the structural frame 110, forming a heat dissipation airflow. It should be noted that FIG. 1 illustrates two fans 121, and does not mean that the number of fans 121 of the heat sink 120 is limited to two. In fact, the number and arrangement of the fans 121 can be reasonably selected according to the heat dissipation amount and the heat dissipation efficiency, and the specific number of the fans 121 is not limited by the present disclosure.

[0065] For example, when the temperature sensor on the temperature detection unit 140 detects that the temperature of the cooling medium in the cooling unit 130 is too high, the control unit increases the speed of the fan 121 to blow more heat dissipation airflow to cool the cooling medium. When the temperature detection unit 140 detects that the temperature of the cooling medium has dropped to a predetermined range, the speed of the fan 121 can be reduced, thereby realizing intelligent control of the temperature of the X-ray source 200. In addition, the speed of the fan 121 is controlled so that it does not have to rotate continuously at a specific speed, which not only saves energy and reduces emissions, but also reduces the noise generated by the fan 121 due to unnecessary continuous and rapid rotation. During the control of multiple fans 121, the control unit can use a stage function to match the speed of the fan 121 according to the temperature range, and can synchronously control multiple fans 121 or separately control multiple fans 121, which is not limited by the present disclosure.

[0066] It can be understood that the control of the flow rate of the heat dissipation airflow is not limited to the embodiment of the fan, for example, natural ventilation can also be used, and the position of the cooling device can be changed to be in a space with different airflow rates.

[0067] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in some embodiments, the cooling unit 130 can include a storage unit 133, a first pipe 131, and a second pipe 132.

[0068] The storage unit 133 is configured to store the cooling medium. The first pipe 131 communicates with the storage unit 133, defining a delivery channel for the cooling medium to flow into the X-ray source 200. The second pipe 132 communicates with the storage unit 133, defining a delivery channel for the cooling medium to flow out of the X-ray source 200. The storage unit 133, the first pipe 131, the X-ray source 200, and the second pipe 132 constitute a circulating flow loop of the cooling medium, and the cooling medium circulates in the circulating flow loop, which is conducive to sustainable heat dissipation.

[0069] As a preferred solution, the cooling medium can be insulating oil to ensure that the cooling medium is not punctured under high pressure working conditions. The insulating oil can be, for example, transformer oil No. 95. When the cooling medium is insulating oil, the storage unit 133 can be an insulating oil tank. At this time, the cooling unit 130 can further include an oil pump 134 configured to draw the cooling medium from the insulating oil tank and send it into the first pipe 131. Relative to the cooling device 100, the first pipe 131 can be understood as an oil outlet pipe, and the second pipe 132 can be understood as an oil inlet pipe. Through the circulating flow circuit, closed-loop control is achieved, and the cooled insulating oil is continuously delivered to the X-ray source 200 to take away the heat generated by the X-ray source 200. During this circulation process, the cooling medium always operates in a closed environment and does not come into contact with the outside world to prevent the cooling medium from invading water vapor or being contaminated to cause a decrease in insulation capacity and cause a sparking accident.

[0070] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, the temperature detection unit 140 can include a first temperature sensor 141 and a second temperature sensor 142.

[0071] The first temperature sensor 141 is connected to the first pipe 131 and is configured to detect the outflow temperature of the cooling medium in the first pipe 131. The second temperature sensor 142 is connected to the second pipe 132 and is configured to detect the backflow temperature of the cooling medium in the second pipe 132. The control unit is configured to control the flow rate of the cooling air flow according to the outflow temperature and / or the backflow temperature.

[0072] Specifically, the control unit can detect the temperature in multiple ways, can only control the flow rate of the cooling air flow, that is, the rotating speed of the fan 121 according to the outflow temperature fed back by the first temperature sensor 141, or only according to the backflow temperature fed back by the second temperature sensor 142, or according to the difference between the outflow temperature and the backflow temperature. The backflow temperature is the temperature after heat exchange with the ray tube and then flows into the cooling unit 130. Preferably, the rotating speed of the fan 121 can be controlled only according to the backflow temperature fed back by the second temperature sensor 142, and the cooling unit 130 can be cooled in time. The flow rate can be dynamically adjusted according to the temperature detection value, so as to maintain good cooling effect and save energy.

[0073] A temperature warning can be set, and when the temperature difference between the backflow temperature and the outflow temperature is greater than or equal to a certain threshold value, an alarm information is issued, which can be, for example, flashing light, buzzing sound, text reminder information or operation instruction in the control unit. According to the alarm information, the cooling effect can be evaluated and a judgment on equipment maintenance can be made. The evaluation of the cooling effect according to the temperature has been described in the foregoing, and thus will not be described again.

[0074] Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the cooling device 100 can further comprise a pressure sensor 150 and a flow meter 160. The pressure sensor 150 is connected to the first pipe 131 and configured to detect the pressure of the cooling medium in the first pipe 131. The flow meter 160 is connected to the second pipe 132 and configured to detect the flow of the cooling medium in the second pipe 132.

[0075] Generally, as shown in FIG. 5, in the circulating flow loop with insulating oil as the cooling medium, the cooling device 100 can further comprise one or more of an overflow valve 190, a filter element 170, and an expansion tank 180.

[0076] In these optional configurations, the overflow valve 190 can serve as an overpressure protection for the entire circulating flow loop. When the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 150 exceeds a set pressure, the excess insulating oil will flow back to the insulating oil tank. The quality of the cooling medium will deteriorate over time, and the filter element 170 can filter out impurities in the insulating oil to ensure the purity of the insulating oil. The expansion tank 180 can absorb the pressure difference caused by thermal expansion and contraction due to changes in ambient temperature. The overflow valve 190, the filter element 170, and the expansion tank 180 can be reasonably selected according to actual conditions, and the present disclosure does not impose any restrictions. The present embodiment adopts a reasonably compact layout, so that these components can be integrated within the relatively small space formed by the structural framework 110.

[0077] In some embodiments, the X-ray source 200 comprises a distributed X-ray source comprising N X-ray tubes, N being an integer greater than or equal to 2. N can be, for example, 3, 4, 5, or 6. The cooling medium can flow through the N X-ray tubes in series for heat exchange.

[0078] For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the cooling medium flows through the three X-ray tubes 210a, 210b, 210c in series.

[0079] Based on the above, the working principle of the cooling device 100 of the present embodiment will be described in a general manner in conjunction with FIG. 5, so as to better understand the cooling device 100 of the present disclosure.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 5, the cooling medium (e.g. insulating oil) in the storage unit 133 can be pumped out by the oil pump 134. When the cooling medium flows through the radiator 120, the fan 121 in the radiator 120 continuously blows cold air to the surface of the radiator 120 oil pipe fins, taking away the heat in the cooling medium, thereby reducing the temperature of the cooling medium. Then, the cooling medium enters the serially connected ray tubes 210a, 210b, 210c through the overflow valve 190, the filter element 170, the first temperature sensor 141, the pressure sensor 150, and the first pipe 131. The ray tubes 210a, 210b, 210c generate a large amount of heat when working. After the cooling medium flows out of the ray tubes 210a, 210b, 210c, the heat is taken away, thereby reducing the temperature of the ray tubes 210a, 210b, 210c. At this time, the temperature of the cooling medium rises correspondingly. The heated cooling medium flows back to the storage unit 133 through the second pipe 132, the second temperature sensor 142, and the flow meter 160, thereby completing a cooling cycle. Through continuous circulation, the heat generated by the ray tubes 210a, 210b, 210c is taken away, achieving the purpose of cooling the X-ray source 200.

[0081] FIG. 6 is a working principle diagram of the cooling device 100 according to some other exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0082] In some embodiments, the cooling medium can also flow through N ray tubes in parallel for heat exchange. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the cooling medium flows through three ray tubes 210a, 210b, 210c in parallel for heat exchange. The difference between FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 is only the way the cooling medium flows into the ray tubes 210a, 210b, 210c. Except for this, the same elements are marked with the same symbols. The working principle of the cooling device 100 has been described in combination with FIG. 5. The working principle of the cooling device 100 in FIG. 6 is similar to that in FIG. 5, and thus is not described again. In this way, the cooling device 100 of the embodiments of the present disclosure can cool the serially connected X-ray source 200 and the parallelly connected X-ray source 200, and thus has good applicability.

[0083] In summary, the cooling device of the embodiments of the present disclosure concentrates the radiator and the cooling unit in one structural framework, has a reasonable and compact overall layout, and can timely take away the heat generated by the ray tube during operation through the cooling mode combining oil cooling and air cooling. By providing the insulation oil cooling mode, the high-voltage working environment can be met, and the insulation oil is not easy to be punctured under high-voltage working conditions, thereby ensuring the sustainability of cooling. The flow, pressure and temperature of the insulation oil can be monitored in real time, so as to adjust the cooling strength, perform overpressure protection, and filter and clean the insulation oil, thereby ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the ray tube and achieving the purpose of protecting the ray tube. In addition, while having a reasonable and compact layout, the cooling device can also realize intelligent control through the control unit, and can well adapt to the needs of new X-ray light sources and CTs.

[0084] The embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a radiation device (not shown in the figure) including but not limited to the X-ray source 200 and the cooling device 100 of any of the above embodiments. The radiation device has all the beneficial technical effects of the cooling device 100 of any of the above embodiments, and here, no further description is given.

[0085] The above one or more embodiments have the following beneficial effects:

[0086] 1) The cooling device for the X-ray source concentrates the radiator and the cooling unit in one structural framework, has a reasonable and compact overall layout, and can timely take away the heat generated by the ray tube during operation through the cooling medium, and then can dissipate heat from the cooling medium inside the radiator. Moreover, the cooling unit is located in the region through which the cooling air flows, and the cooling unit structure itself and the cooling medium inside the cooling unit can be cooled by the cooling air. Therefore, through the cooling mode combining oil cooling and air cooling, the multiple heat dissipation effects of the ray tube, the cooling medium and the cooling unit can be achieved.

[0087] 2) The insulation oil cooling mode can meet the high-voltage working environment, and is not easy to be punctured under high-voltage working conditions, thereby ensuring the sustainability of cooling.

[0088] 3) The flow, pressure and temperature of the insulation oil can be monitored in real time, so as to adjust the cooling strength, perform overpressure protection, and filter and clean the insulation oil, thereby ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the ray tube and achieving the purpose of protecting the ray tube.

[0089] 4) While having a reasonable and compact layout, the cooling device can also realize intelligent control through the control unit.

[0090] The above specific embodiments further specifically describe the purposes, technical solutions and beneficial effects of the present disclosure, and it should be understood that the above are only specific embodiments of the present disclosure and are not used to limit the present disclosure, and any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure shall be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A cooling device for an X-ray source, comprising: a structural frame; a heat sink mounted inside the structural frame, the heat sink being configured to form a heat dissipation airflow therethrough; a cooling unit mounted inside the structural frame independently from the heat sink, and located in a flow-through region of the heat dissipation airflow; wherein the cooling unit is configured to provide a cooling medium to flow through the X-ray source for heat exchange, and the heat sink is further configured to communicate with the cooling unit to dissipate heat from the cooling medium entering the heat sink. 2.The cooling device of claim 1, further comprising: a temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of the cooling medium in the cooling unit; a control unit communicatively connected with the temperature detection unit and the heat sink, the control unit being configured to control a flow rate of the heat dissipation airflow according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit.

3. Cooling device according to claim 2, wherein the heat sink comprises: M fans, M being an integer greater than or equal to 1; the control unit controlling the flow rate of the heat dissipation airflow comprises controlling a rotation speed of at least one of the fans.

4. The cooling device of claim 2, wherein, the cooling unit comprises: a storage unit configured to store the cooling medium; a first pipeline in communication with the storage unit, defining a delivery channel for the cooling medium to flow into the X-ray source; a second pipeline in communication with the storage unit, defining a delivery channel for the cooling medium after flowing out of the X-ray source; wherein the storage unit, the first pipeline, the X-ray source and the second pipeline form a circulation flow loop of the cooling medium.

5. Cooling device according to claim 4, wherein the cooling medium comprises insulating oil, and the storage unit comprises an insulating oil tank, and the cooling unit further comprises: an oil pump configured to draw the cooling medium from the insulating oil tank and send it into the first pipeline.

6. The cooling device of claim 4, wherein, the temperature detection unit comprises: a first temperature sensor connected with the first pipeline, configured to detect an outflow temperature of the cooling medium in the first pipeline; a second temperature sensor connected with the second pipeline, configured to detect a backflow temperature of the cooling medium in the second pipeline; the control unit is configured to control the flow rate of the heat dissipation airflow according to the outflow temperature and / or the backflow temperature.

7. Cooling device according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to: issue an alarm information when a temperature difference between the backflow temperature and the outflow temperature is greater than or equal to a specific threshold. 8.The cooling device of claim 4, further comprising: a pressure sensor connected with the first pipeline, configured to detect a pressure of the cooling medium in the first pipeline; and / or a flow meter connected with the second pipeline, configured to detect a flow rate of the cooling medium in the second pipeline. 9.The cooling device of claim 1, wherein: the X-ray source comprises a distributed X-ray source, the distributed X-ray source comprising N X-ray tubes, N being an integer greater than or equal to 2, the cooling medium is configured to flow through the N X-ray tubes in series for heat exchange; or the cooling medium is configured to flow through the N X-ray tubes in parallel for heat exchange. the structural frame defines inside:

10. The cooling device of claim 1, wherein, a first space for mounting the heat sink; and a second space for mounting the cooling unit. a second space, located below the first space, for mounting the cooling unit; wherein the heat sink is configured to draw the airflow from the second space to form the heat dissipation airflow.

11. A radiation apparatus comprising: an X-ray source; and the cooling apparatus of any one of claims 1-10. ​

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