Packaged side-beam microfocus x-ray tube

Abstract

This invention provides a packaged side-emission microfocus X-ray tube, comprising a cylindrical assembly and a liquid-cooled X-ray tube. The tube shell of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube is rigidly fixedly connected to the cylindrical assembly. The anode assembly of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube includes an anode stalk with an internal liquid-cooling cavity, and an anode inlet pipe and an anode outlet pipe, both communicating with the liquid-cooling cavity. A liquid pipe connection assembly is installed on the cylindrical assembly, comprising a liquid pipe connection plate, and an inlet connection pipe and an outlet connection pipe, both fixed to the liquid pipe connection plate. The inlet connection pipe is flexibly connected to the anode inlet pipe, and the outlet connection pipe is flexibly connected to the anode outlet pipe. The inlet connection pipe, anode inlet pipe, liquid-cooling cavity, anode outlet pipe, and outlet connection pipe are sequentially connected to form an anode liquid-cooling channel, which is isolated from the inner cavity of the cylindrical assembly. This application can independently circulate and cool the anode assembly, shortening the thermal equilibrium time of the anode assembly and generating X-rays with higher luminous flux and higher stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of X-ray scientific instruments, and in particular to a packaged side-exit microfocus X-ray tube. Background Technology

[0002] The lower the energy of X-rays, the easier they are to attenuate. Side-exit microfocus X-ray tubes, because the X-ray path does not pass through the attenuation caused by insulating silicone or oil encapsulated inside the tube assembly, are widely used in high-end X-ray scientific instruments requiring low-energy X-rays (such as microfocal X-ray diffractometers, micro-area X-ray fluorescence spectrometers, and small-angle X-ray scatterers). X-ray scientific instruments require high X-ray flux, as well as high stability in both flux and focal spatial position. This necessitates that the microfocus X-ray tubes assembled within these instruments possess both high power and high stability.

[0003] Current encapsulated side-emission X-ray tubes mainly consist of a shell assembly and a side-emission X-ray tube fixed inside the shell assembly. The side-emission X-ray tube includes a shell that creates a vacuum environment inside, an anode assembly sealed and fixed at one end of the shell, and a cathode assembly sealed and fixed at the other end of the shell. The encapsulated side-emission X-ray tube uses a cathode grounding and anode positive high voltage method. The anode positive high voltage and the cathode grounding are introduced from the same side of the shell end cap. Because there is already a rigid connection between the window of the side-emission X-ray tube and the shell flange, the anode assembly and heat sink of the side-emission X-ray tube are completely immersed in insulating silicone or insulating oil encapsulated inside the shell assembly and are not physically connected to the end cap of the shell assembly. During normal exposure, the cathode assembly emits and focuses an electron beam. Accelerated by an electric field, the electron beam bombards the anode target of the anode assembly, producing X-rays. These X-rays exit through the beam exit port. Simultaneously, over 99% of the electron beam energy is converted into heat, depositing on the anode assembly of the X-ray tube. This causes thermal expansion of the anode assembly, resulting in thermal drift of the anode target's focal point in space. This structure has significant drawbacks: 1) The grounded cathode and the positive high-voltage anode are introduced from the same side of the tube assembly end cap. The high-voltage plug of the anode passes through the cathode of the X-ray tube within the tube assembly before reaching the anode, posing a risk of high-voltage insulation between the cathode and the high-voltage plug, leading to arcing and affecting the reliability of the encapsulated side-emission X-ray tube during operation; 2) The anode of the X-ray tube, including the heat sink, is immersed in insulating silicone or insulating oil within the tube assembly. The heat generated by the anode is completely dissipated in the insulating silicone or insulating oil. Because the insulating silicone or insulating oil has a large heat capacity, it takes a long time to reach thermal equilibrium, leading to scorching. 1) The spatial position of the focal point takes a long time to stabilize, so scientific instruments using this type of encapsulated X-ray tube require a long waiting time before they can be used; 2) The anode of this type of X-ray tube is very long, and the temperature rise caused by heat deposition on the anode also results in a large thermal drift of the focal point spatial position, and the spatial stability of the focal point is not high; 3) The anode of the X-ray tube, including the heat sink, is immersed in insulating silicone or insulating oil in the tube assembly. This traditional heat dissipation method has insufficient heat dissipation capacity, so the power that the anode of the X-ray tube can withstand is not high, which leads to insufficient light flux generated by the X-ray tube and cannot meet the requirements of high-end X-ray scientific instruments.

[0004] To address the insufficient heat dissipation capacity of traditional heat dissipation methods that involve immersing the radiator in insulating oil, Chinese utility model patent CN212010898U discloses an X-ray tube. This tube features an axially extending blind hole within the anode, a cooling medium outlet around the blind hole, and a cooling medium inlet pipe within the blind hole. The cooling medium is transported to the blind hole via the inlet pipe and exits the anode via the outlet. However, this X-ray tube still suffers from the following shortcomings: 1) While this method improves heat dissipation, the cooling liquid does not penetrate deeply into the vicinity of the anode target, resulting in inadequate cooling of the target. Consequently, the power that the anode can withstand remains low, and the luminous flux remains insufficient. 2) The cooling medium outlet on the anode is connected to the insulating oil in the external region of the X-ray tube (i.e., the internal region of the tube assembly). The heat generated by the anode is still dissipated in the insulating oil, failing to address the long-term thermal equilibrium requirement due to the large heat capacity of the insulating oil. The focal point still requires a considerable amount of time to stabilize.

[0005] Therefore, existing packaged side-ejection X-ray tubes have drawbacks such as insufficient reliability during operation, low light throughput, low focal spatial position stability, and long stabilization time, making it difficult to meet the needs of high-end X-ray scientific instruments, especially in high-end application fields such as semiconductors. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of this invention is to provide a packaged side-ejection microfocus X-ray tube that can independently circulate and cool the anode assembly, increase the power that the anode target can withstand, reduce the thermal expansion of the anode assembly, and shorten the thermal equilibrium time of the anode assembly, thereby increasing the light flux, improving the spatial stability of the focal spot, and reducing the time required for the spatial position of the focal spot to reach stability.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a packaged side-exit microfocus X-ray tube, comprising a cylindrical assembly filled with an insulating medium and a liquid-cooled X-ray tube. The cylindrical assembly is provided with a radially penetrating side fixing port. The liquid-cooled X-ray tube includes a tube shell, a cathode assembly sealed and fixed at one end of the tube shell, an anode assembly sealed and fixed at the other end of the tube shell, and a window assembly fixed on the tube shell. The tube shell is rigidly fixed to the cylindrical assembly at the side fixing port.

[0008] The anode assembly includes an anode shank sealed and fixed to the tube shell, an anode target fixed to one end of the anode shank facing the cathode assembly, a sealing end cap assembly fixed to the other end of the anode shank, and an anode inlet pipe and an anode outlet pipe both sealed and fixed to the sealing end cap assembly. The anode shank is provided with a liquid cooling cavity, and one end of the anode inlet pipe and one end of the anode outlet pipe are both connected to the liquid cooling cavity.

[0009] The cylindrical assembly has an anode end cap sealed and fixed at one end of the anode assembly. A liquid pipe connection assembly is installed on the anode end cap. The liquid pipe connection assembly includes a liquid pipe connection plate fixed to the outer side of the anode end cap, and an inlet connection pipe and an outlet connection pipe both fixed to the liquid pipe connection plate. One end of the inlet connection pipe is flexibly connected to the other end of the anode inlet pipe, and one end of the outlet connection pipe is flexibly connected to the other end of the anode outlet pipe. The other ends of both the inlet and outlet connection pipes are used to connect to an external cooling circulation system.

[0010] The liquid inlet pipe, anode liquid inlet pipe, liquid cooling cavity, anode liquid outlet pipe and liquid outlet connecting pipe are connected in sequence to form an anode liquid cooling channel, which is isolated from the inner cavity of the cylinder assembly.

[0011] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is as follows: the liquid inlet connecting pipe and the anode liquid inlet pipe are flexibly connected by a liquid inlet flexible connecting pipe, and both ends of the liquid inlet flexible connecting pipe are respectively sealed to the liquid inlet connecting pipe and the anode liquid inlet pipe; the liquid outlet connecting pipe and the anode liquid outlet pipe are flexibly connected by a liquid outlet flexible connecting pipe, and both ends of the liquid outlet flexible connecting pipe are respectively sealed to the liquid outlet connecting pipe and the anode liquid outlet pipe; both the liquid inlet flexible connecting pipe and the liquid outlet flexible connecting pipe are corrugated pipes or flexible hoses.

[0012] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is as follows: the liquid tube connection assembly further includes a pagoda connector fixed to the inner end of the liquid tube connection plate, the anode end cap is provided with a connector mounting groove for accommodating the pagoda connector, the pagoda connector is provided with a first pagoda head connected to the liquid inlet connection pipe and a second pagoda head connected to the liquid outlet connection pipe, the first pagoda head is flexibly connected to the anode liquid inlet pipe via the liquid inlet flexible connection pipe, and the second pagoda head is flexibly connected to the anode liquid outlet pipe via the liquid outlet flexible connection pipe.

[0013] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is as follows: the cylindrical assembly has a cathode end cap sealed and fixed at one end of the cathode assembly, and at least one first sealing ring is provided between the cylindrical assembly and the cathode end cap, as well as between the cylindrical assembly and the anode end cap, and the first sealing ring is provided on the outer periphery of the cathode end cap and the anode end cap.

[0014] A second sealing ring is provided between the anode end cap and the liquid pipe connecting plate, and the second sealing ring is distributed around the pagoda joint;

[0015] A third sealing ring, a fourth sealing ring, and a fifth sealing ring are provided between the liquid pipe connecting plate and the pagoda connector. The third sealing ring is distributed around the liquid inlet connecting pipe, the fourth sealing ring is distributed around the liquid outlet connecting pipe, and the fifth sealing ring is distributed around both the liquid inlet connecting pipe and the liquid outlet connecting pipe.

[0016] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is that there are two first sealing rings between the cylindrical assembly and the cathode end cap, and between the cylindrical assembly and the anode end cap, with the two first sealing rings arranged side by side along the axial direction of the cylindrical assembly.

[0017] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is as follows: the liquid tube connecting plate and the pagoda connector are fixedly connected by several bolts, the liquid tube connecting plate is provided with a first connecting hole for the bolts to be screwed in, and the pagoda connector is provided with a second connecting hole for the bolts to be screwed in. The first connecting hole is a through hole, and the second connecting hole is a countersunk hole.

[0018] Of the bolts that secure the liquid pipe connecting plate and the pagoda connector, some bolts are located between the third and fifth sealing rings, and between the fourth and fifth sealing rings, while the remaining bolts are located around the fifth sealing ring.

[0019] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is as follows: the anode target includes a target base bottom sealed and fixed to the end of the anode shank, and a target material fixed to the surface of the target base bottom. The target base bottom is a diamond substrate, and the target material is any one of copper, silver, chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, rhodium, gold, iron, and SiC.

[0020] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is that one end of the anode inlet tube extends into the liquid-cooled cavity and is close to the anode target.

[0021] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is as follows: the cathode assembly is connected to a negative high voltage, and the anode assembly is grounded;

[0022] The cylindrical assembly has a cathode end cap sealed and fixed at one end of the cathode assembly. A high-voltage socket is installed on the cathode end cap, and the high-voltage socket is electrically connected to the cathode assembly through a connecting post.

[0023] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-emission microfocus X-ray tube is as follows: the encapsulated side-emission microfocus X-ray tube further includes a cathode shielding cover and a cathode high-voltage insulating tube. The cathode shielding cover is fixed inside the cylindrical assembly and located between the cathode assembly and the high-voltage socket. The connecting post is partially embedded in the cathode shielding cover. The cathode high-voltage insulating tube is fixed between the cathode end cap and the cathode shielding cover and is sleeved around the high-voltage socket and the connecting post.

[0024] Creepage grooves are provided on both end faces of the cathode shielding cover;

[0025] The cathode shielding cover is made of epoxy resin doped with lead oxide.

[0026] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is as follows: the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube further includes a radiation protection cylinder and an anode shielding cover, both fixed within the cylinder assembly. The radiation protection cylinder is sleeved around the liquid-cooled X-ray tube, and the cathode shielding cover and anode shielding cover are distributed along the axial direction of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube on both sides of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube. The radiation protection cylinder, cathode shielding cover, and anode shielding cover together form a radiation protection cavity for accommodating the liquid-cooled X-ray tube.

[0027] The radiation protection cylinder and the anode shielding cover are made of any one or a combination of pure lead, lead-antimony alloy, pure tungsten, tungsten-nickel-copper alloy, tungsten-nickel-iron alloy, and pure tantalum.

[0028] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is that, along the axial direction of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube, the gap between the cathode shield and the anode shield is 1mm-3mm.

[0029] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is as follows: along the axial direction of the cylindrical assembly, the anode end cap, radiation protection cylinder, cathode shielding cover, cathode high-voltage insulating tube, and cathode end cap are sequentially pressed together, and the anode end cap and cathode end cap are each fastened to both ends of the cylindrical assembly by several bolts;

[0030] The cathode shielding cover has a insertion groove on the side facing the radiation protection cylinder, and the end of the radiation protection cylinder is inserted into the insertion groove.

[0031] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is as follows: the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube further includes a side-exit port and a protective cover; the cylindrical assembly is provided with a cylindrical flange for forming a side-fixed port, the tube shell is provided with a radially protruding side window connection part, the window assembly includes a window flange, a beryllium window sealed and fixed inside the window flange, a connecting glass shell provided on the outer periphery of the window flange and extending radially along the tube shell, and a mounting flange; the side-exit port includes an exit port fixing part and an exit port positioning part extending radially toward the tube shell from the exit port fixing part.

[0032] The two ends of the connecting glass shell are respectively sealed and fixed to the side window connecting part and the window flange. The mounting flange is sealed and fixed to the outer periphery of the connecting glass shell. The beam outlet fixing part is fixed to the mounting flange and the beam outlet fixing part is fixed to the cylindrical flange by several bolts. The beam outlet positioning part covers the periphery of the side window connecting part and the mounting flange and abuts against the inner wall surface of the side fixing port.

[0033] A sixth sealing ring is provided between the outlet fixing part and the mounting flange, and between the outlet fixing part and the cylinder flange;

[0034] The protective cover is fixed to the outer end of the beam outlet fixing part and covers the beam outlet fixing part. Both the side beam outlet and the protective cover are provided with radiation outlets that allow the window flange and beryllium window to be exposed.

[0035] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube is that the material of the side-exit beam port is any one or a combination of pure lead, lead-antimony alloy, pure tungsten, tungsten-nickel-copper alloy, tungsten-nickel-iron alloy, and pure tantalum.

[0036] As described above, the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0037] 1. The anode assembly of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube in this application is equipped with a liquid-cooling structure to dissipate heat from the anode target and anode shank. Specifically, the anode liquid-cooling channel, formed by the sequential connection of the inlet pipe, anode inlet pipe, liquid-cooling cavity, anode outlet pipe, and outlet connection pipe, is isolated from the inner cavity of the cylinder assembly. This prevents the cooling liquid flowing inside the anode shank from converging with the insulating medium filling the cylinder assembly, allowing for independent cyclic cooling of the anode assembly. This improves the cooling efficiency of the anode assembly and effectively shortens its thermal equilibrium time, thereby increasing the power of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube and reducing the time required for the focal spot to stabilize. This results in a packaged side-ejection microfocus X-ray tube with high power and high stability, producing X-rays with higher luminous flux and greater stability, meeting the needs of high-end X-ray scientific instruments.

[0038] 2. The shell of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube is a glass shell, and it is mechanically fixed to the cylinder assembly. This application sets the connection between the anode assembly and the liquid tube connection assembly as a flexible connection, which solves the mechanical fixation problem required for setting an independent liquid cooling circulation structure in the anode assembly. It avoids the problem of shell damage caused by the double mechanical fixation (i.e., over-positioning) between the liquid-cooled X-ray tube shell and the anode assembly. This solves the problem that the anode assembly of the current encapsulated side-exit X-ray tube can only be suspended in the insulating medium and cannot be set up with independent circulation cooling. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube of this application.

[0040] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The main view.

[0041] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The right view.

[0042] Figure 4 for Figure 3A schematic diagram omitting the liquid pipe connection plate.

[0043] Figure 5 for Figure 2 The left view.

[0044] Figure 6 for Figure 2 A partial sectional view.

[0045] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube of this application.

[0046] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A structural schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the central anode assembly; this diagram is a cross-sectional view.

[0047] Figure 9 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of the middle anode assembly in Embodiment 2 is shown in the figure, which is a cross-sectional view.

[0048] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the flexible connection between the anode assembly and the liquid pipe connection assembly in this application.

[0049] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the flexible connection between the anode assembly and the liquid pipe connection assembly in this application.

[0050] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 3 of the flexible connection between the anode assembly and the liquid pipe connection assembly in this application.

[0051] Figure 13 for Figure 6 A structural diagram showing the connection and fixing point between the cylinder flange and the side window.

[0052] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the side-exit nozzle structure in this application.

[0053] Component designation: Liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100, tube shell 10, side window connection 101, cathode assembly 20, anode assembly 30, anode shank 31, anode target 32, target base bottom 321, liquid-cooled cavity 33, anode inlet pipe 34, anode outlet pipe 35, first sealing end cap 36, liquid-cooled through hole 361, second sealing end cap 37, liquid-cooled transition cavity 38, cylinder assembly 40, side fixing port 41, cylinder flange 42, window assembly 50, window flange 51, beryllium window 52, ​​connecting glass shell 53, mounting flange 54, cathode end cap 60, anode end cap 70, connector mounting groove 71, high-pressure socket 80, liquid pipe connection assembly 90, liquid pipe connection plate 91, inlet connection pipe 92, outlet... Connecting pipe 93, pagoda connector 94, first pagoda head 941, second pagoda head 942, inlet flexible connecting pipe 95, outlet flexible connecting pipe 96, liquid pipe connector 97, first sealing ring 111, second sealing ring 112, third sealing ring 113, fourth sealing ring 114, fifth sealing ring 115, sixth sealing ring 116, seventh sealing ring 117, side outlet 120, outlet fixing part 121, outlet positioning part 122, protective cover 130, radiation outlet 140, radiation protection cylinder 151, cathode shielding cover 152, anode shielding cover 153, cathode high voltage insulating tube 154, creepage trench 155, connecting post 156, insertion groove 157, expander assembly 160. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification.

[0055] It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and to facilitate understanding. They are not intended to limit the scope of the invention and therefore have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, without affecting the effectiveness and objectives of the invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed herein. Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "middle," and "one" used in this specification are merely for clarity and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of the invention's implementation.

[0056] It should also be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or may be connected to an intermediary component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or indirectly connected to the other component through an intermediary component.

[0057] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this application is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0058] This application relates to the field of X-ray technology, and in particular to a packaged side-exit microfocus X-ray tube.

[0059] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the encapsulated side-ejection microfocus X-ray tube of the present invention includes a cylindrical assembly 40 and a liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100. The interior of the cylindrical assembly 40 is filled with an insulating medium, preferably insulating silicone or insulating oil. The two ends of the cylindrical assembly 40 are respectively sealed and fixed with a cathode end cap 60 and an anode end cap 70. The liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 includes a tube shell 10, a cathode assembly 20 sealed and fixed at one end of the tube shell 10, an anode assembly 30 sealed and fixed at the other end of the tube shell 10, and a window assembly 50 fixed on the tube shell 10. The cathode end cap 60 is distributed on the outer end side of the cathode assembly 20, and the anode end cap 70 is distributed on the outer end side of the anode assembly 30. That is, the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 is disposed between the cathode end cap 60 and the anode end cap 70 and inside the cylindrical assembly 40, so the cathode assembly 20 and the anode assembly 30 of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 are both immersed in insulating silicone or insulating oil. The cylindrical assembly 40 is provided with a radially penetrating side fixing port 41. The tube shell 10 is rigidly fixed to the cylindrical assembly 40 at the side fixing port 41, thereby fixing the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 as a whole inside the cylindrical assembly 40 of the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube. The two are mechanically fixed.

[0060] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 ,or Figure 7 and Figure 9As shown, in the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100, the tube shell 10 is a glass shell, and the interior of the tube shell 10 is a vacuum environment. The anode assembly 30 includes an anode shank 31 sealed and fixed to the tube shell 10, an anode target 32 ​​fixed to one end of the anode shank 31 facing the cathode assembly 20, a sealing end cap assembly fixed to the other end of the anode shank 31, and an anode inlet pipe 34 and an anode outlet pipe 35 both sealed and fixed to the sealing end cap assembly. A liquid-cooled cavity 33 is provided inside the anode shank 31. The liquid-cooled cavity 33 extends straight along the axial direction of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100. One end of the anode inlet pipe 34 and one end of the anode outlet pipe 35 are both connected to the liquid-cooled cavity 33.

[0061] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 6 As shown, the encapsulated side-ejection microfocus X-ray tube also includes a liquid pipe connection assembly 90 mounted on the anode end cap 70. The liquid pipe connection assembly 90 includes a liquid pipe connection plate 91 fixed to the outer end of the anode end cap 70, and an inlet connection pipe 92 and an outlet connection pipe 93 both fixed to the liquid pipe connection plate 91. One end of the inlet connection pipe 92 is flexibly connected to the other end of the anode inlet pipe 34, and one end of the outlet connection pipe 93 is flexibly connected to the other end of the anode outlet pipe 35. The other ends of the inlet connection pipe 92 and the outlet connection pipe 93 are both used to connect to an external cooling circulation system. The inlet connection pipe 92, the anode inlet pipe 34, the liquid cooling chamber 33, the anode outlet pipe 35, and the outlet connection pipe 93 are sequentially connected to form an anode liquid cooling channel, which is isolated from the inner cavity of the cylinder assembly 40.

[0062] During exposure in a packaged side-emission microfocus X-ray tube, the electron beam emitted from the cathode assembly 20 is accelerated by an electric field and bombards the anode target 32 ​​of the anode assembly 30, producing X-rays, which are then emitted from the window assembly 50. During exposure, only a very small portion of the electron kinetic energy of the electron beam bombarding the anode target 32 ​​is converted into X-rays; the majority of the energy is deposited as heat on the anode target 32, causing it to generate a large amount of heat. This heat is also transferred to the anode shank 31. Simultaneously, the cooling liquid provided by the external cooling circulation system flows into the liquid-cooled cavity 33 inside the anode shank 31 through the inlet connection pipe 92 and the anode inlet pipe 34. The heat from the anode shank 31 and the anode target 32 ​​is carried away by the cooling liquid in the liquid-cooled cavity 33, thus directly dissipating heat from the anode shank 31 and the anode target 32. The cooled liquid after heat exchange is then discharged into the external cooling circulation system through the anode outlet pipe 35 and the outlet connection pipe 93.

[0063] Obviously, this application employs a direct anode cooling method to directly conduct the heat generated by the anode assembly 30 through the cooling liquid, thereby avoiding temperature rise throughout the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 and effectively increasing the power of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100. In particular, the anode liquid cooling channel, formed by the sequential connection of the inlet pipe 92, the anode inlet pipe 34, the liquid cooling cavity 33, the anode outlet pipe 35, and the outlet connection pipe 93, is isolated from the inner cavity of the cylinder assembly 40. This prevents the cooling liquid flowing in the anode shank 31 from converging with the insulating medium filling the cylinder assembly 40, allowing for independent cyclic cooling of the anode assembly 30. This effectively shortens the thermal equilibrium time of the anode assembly 30, reducing the focal spot spatial position stabilization time caused by thermal drift and decreasing the waiting time for the instrument user. Therefore, the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 of this application, based on the characteristic of directly and independently cyclically cooling the anode assembly 30, possesses the advantages of high power and high stability, and can produce X-rays with higher luminous flux and higher stability. Furthermore, the shell 10 of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 is a glass shell, and it is mechanically fixed to the cylinder assembly 40. In this application, the connection between the anode assembly 30 and the liquid pipe connection assembly 90 is set as a flexible connection, which solves the mechanical fixation problem required for setting an independent liquid cooling circulation structure in the anode assembly 30. This avoids the problem of the shell 10 of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 being damaged due to the double mechanical fixation (i.e., over-positioning) between the shell 10 and the anode assembly 30. This solves the problem that the anode assembly of the current encapsulated side-exit X-ray tube can only be suspended in the insulating medium and cannot be set up with independent circulation cooling.

[0064] Preferably, the negative end cap 60 is fixedly connected to the cylinder assembly 40, the positive end cap 70 is fixed to the cylinder assembly 40, the liquid pipe connecting plate 91 is fixed to the positive end cap 70, and the liquid pipe connecting plate 91 is fixed to the pagoda connector 94 by several bolts. The inlet connecting pipe 92 and the outlet connecting pipe 93 are both welded and fixed in the liquid pipe connecting plate 91. Meanwhile, as... Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, liquid inlet connection pipe 92 and liquid outlet connection pipe 93 are both welded and fixed with liquid pipe joints 97 at their outer ends away from liquid pipe connection plate 91. Liquid pipe joints 97 are connected to fastening joints and are used to connect to external cooling circulation systems.

[0065] Furthermore, such as Figure 6As shown, the liquid inlet pipe 92 and the anode liquid inlet pipe 34 are flexibly connected by the liquid inlet flexible connecting pipe 95, and the liquid outlet pipe 93 and the anode liquid outlet pipe 35 are flexibly connected by the liquid outlet flexible connecting pipe 96. The flexible connection is achieved through the liquid inlet flexible connecting pipe 95 and the liquid outlet flexible connecting pipe 96. Thus, the arrangement of the liquid inlet flexible connecting pipe 95 and the liquid outlet flexible connecting pipe 96 ensures that the connection between the anode assembly 30 and the liquid pipe connection assembly 90 is not a rigid mechanical fixation, so that the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 is only rigidly mechanically fixed to the cylinder assembly 40 at the side window connection portion 101 of the glass shell. Simultaneously, both ends of the liquid inlet flexible connecting pipe 95 are sealed to the liquid inlet pipe 92 and the anode liquid inlet pipe 34, respectively, and both ends of the liquid outlet flexible connecting pipe 96 are sealed to the liquid outlet connecting pipe 93 and the anode liquid outlet pipe 35, respectively, reliably preventing the cooling medium in the liquid-cooled channel from mixing with the insulating liquid in the cylinder assembly 40.

[0066] Preferably, the inlet flexible connecting pipe 95 and the outlet flexible connecting pipe 96 can be configured in various ways. For example: Figure 10 As shown, both the inlet flexible connecting pipe 95 and the outlet flexible connecting pipe 96 are metal bellows and have a straight connection structure in the axial direction. The metal bellows are sealed and fixed between the inlet connecting pipe 92 and the anode inlet pipe 34, and between the outlet connecting pipe 93 and the anode outlet pipe 35, by welding. For example: Figure 11 As shown, both the inlet flexible connecting pipe 95 and the outlet flexible connecting pipe 96 are flexible hoses and have a straight connection structure in the axial direction. For example: Figure 12 As shown, both the inlet flexible connecting pipe 95 and the outlet flexible connecting pipe 96 are flexible hoses with a spiral coiled structure. Figure 11 and Figure 12 In the embodiment shown, the hose can be sealed and fixed between the inlet connection pipe 92 and the anode inlet pipe 34, and between the outlet connection pipe 93 and the anode outlet pipe 35 by means of rubber coating.

[0067] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 6 As shown, the liquid pipe connection assembly 90 also includes a pagoda connector 94 fixed to the inner end of the liquid pipe connection plate 91. The anode end cap 70 is provided with a connector mounting groove 71 for accommodating the pagoda connector 94. The pagoda connector 94 has a first pagoda head 941 connected to the liquid inlet connection pipe 92 and a second pagoda head 942 connected to the liquid outlet connection pipe 93. The first pagoda head 941 is flexibly connected to the anode liquid inlet pipe 34 via the liquid inlet flexible connection pipe 95, and the second pagoda head 942 is flexibly connected to the anode liquid outlet pipe 35 via the liquid outlet flexible connection pipe 96. Of course, in other embodiments, the pagoda connector 94 may not be used, and a straight pipe connection structure may be used.

[0068] Furthermore, such as Figure 6As shown, two axially spaced first sealing rings 111 are provided between the cylinder assembly 40 and the cathode end cap 60, and between the cylinder assembly 40 and the anode end cap 70. These two first sealing rings 111 are located on the outer periphery of the cathode end cap 60 and the anode end cap 70, achieving a vacuum seal between the cylinder assembly 40 and the cathode end cap 60, and between the cylinder assembly 40 and the anode end cap 70, preventing the insulating liquid inside the cylinder assembly 40 from leaking out. In this embodiment, there are two first sealing rings 111 between the cylinder assembly 40 and the cathode end cap 60, and between the cylinder assembly 40 and the anode end cap 70, arranged side-by-side along the axial direction of the cylinder assembly 40. Using two first sealing rings 111, compared to the commonly used single first sealing ring 111 structure in the industry, significantly reduces the risk of oil leakage and ensures sealing performance; at the same time, it reduces the space occupied, balancing the needs of sealing and space.

[0069] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 As shown, a second sealing ring 112 is provided between the anode end cap 70 and the liquid pipe connecting plate 91. The second sealing ring 112 is distributed around the pagoda connector 94 to achieve a vacuum seal between the anode end cap 70 and the liquid pipe connecting plate 91, preventing the insulating liquid inside the cylinder assembly 40 from leaking out of the cylinder assembly 40. A third sealing ring 113, a fourth sealing ring 114, and a fifth sealing ring 115 are provided between the liquid pipe connecting plate 91 and the pagoda connector 94. The third sealing ring 113 is distributed around the liquid inlet connecting pipe 92, the fourth sealing ring 114 is distributed around the liquid outlet connecting pipe 93, and the fifth sealing ring 115 is distributed around the liquid inlet connecting pipe 92 and the liquid outlet connecting pipe 93, achieving a seal between the inside of the cylinder assembly and the liquid inlet connecting pipe 92 and the liquid outlet connecting pipe 93. The third sealing ring 113 and the fourth sealing ring 114 prevent the cooling medium in the liquid cooling channel from leaking out, and the fifth sealing ring 115 prevents the insulating liquid inside the cylinder assembly 40 from leaking into the liquid cooling channel. Thus, this application reliably solves the triple sealing problem between the insulating silicone or insulating oil inside the tube assembly, the cooling liquid in the inlet connection pipe 92 and the outlet connection pipe 93, and the outside air of the tube assembly within a limited space, thereby improving the structural compactness and increasing the cooling power of the anode assembly 30 within a compact space.

[0070] In particular, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, based on the structure where the liquid pipe connecting plate 91 and the pagoda connector 94 are fixedly connected by several bolts, the liquid pipe connecting plate 91 has a first connecting hole for the bolts to be screwed in, and the pagoda connector 94 has a second connecting hole for the bolts to be screwed in. In this embodiment, the first connecting hole is set as a through hole, and the second connecting hole is set as a countersunk hole. Therefore, the second connecting hole does not penetrate into the interior of the cylinder assembly 40, and the several bolts fixing the liquid pipe connecting plate 91 and the pagoda connector 94 (i.e., the several bolts used to tighten the third sealing ring 113, the fourth sealing ring 114, and the fifth sealing ring 115) will not penetrate the pagoda connector 94. In addition, among the several bolts fixing the liquid pipe connecting plate 91 and the pagoda connector 94, some bolts are distributed between the third sealing ring 113 and the fifth sealing ring 115, and between the fourth sealing ring 114 and the fifth sealing ring 115, while the remaining bolts are distributed around the fifth sealing ring 115. Therefore, the bolt fixing structure between the liquid pipe connecting plate 91 and the pagoda connector 94 will not damage the seal between them. Ultimately, this invention achieves an independent liquid-cooled structure for the anode assembly 30 within a compact space, reliably isolating the insulating liquid inside the cylinder assembly 40 from the cooling medium inside the liquid pipe connection assembly 90, as well as isolating these two media from the external environment of the cylinder assembly 40. Furthermore, this design eliminates the need for sealing rings on each bolt, reducing leakage points and significantly improving sealing reliability.

[0071] Furthermore, the anode target 32 ​​includes a target base bottom 321 sealed and fixed to the end of the anode shank 31, and a target material fixed to the surface of the target base bottom 321. The anode target 32 ​​is preferably a diamond composite target, meaning the target base bottom 321 is a diamond substrate, and the target material is any one of copper, silver, chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, rhodium, gold, iron, and SiC. The diamond substrate is directly welded and sealed to the end of the anode shank 31, preferably by brazing, to achieve connection, fixation, and vacuum sealing. Target metals such as silver or copper are plated onto the surface of the diamond substrate. Thus, by adopting a composite target structure with a diamond substrate plated with target metals such as silver or copper, the ultra-high thermal conductivity of diamond allows for timely dissipation and conduction of target point temperature. This enables the target point to withstand higher power density, resulting in a high target point energy density in the X-ray tube, higher brightness and focus stability, and the emission of brighter X-rays. In addition, the anode target 32 ​​in this application does not have a target base. The micro-focus diamond composite target with diamond substrate plated with target material metal is directly brazed to the end of the anode shank 31, which further improves the cooling effect.

[0072] Furthermore, the anode shank 31 is made of copper, which has good thermal conductivity, effectively transferring heat to the anode target 32 ​​and improving the heat dissipation performance of the anode assembly 30. Preferably, the anode shank 31 has two different hollow structures, giving the anode assembly 30 two preferred embodiments.

[0073] In Embodiment 1 of the anode assembly 30, as Figure 8 As shown, the anode shank 31 is a hollow structure with one end axially extending through it. One end of the liquid cooling chamber 33 does not axially penetrate the end of the anode shank 31 where the anode target 32 ​​is fixed, but one end of the liquid cooling chamber 33 extends to a position close to the anode target 32, while the other end of the liquid cooling chamber 33 axially penetrates the end of the anode shank 31 away from the anode target 32 ​​and is sealed by a sealing end cap assembly. The anode inlet pipe 34 is coaxially arranged with the anode shank 31. One end of the anode inlet pipe 34 extends into the end of the liquid cooling chamber 33 near the anode target 32, so that the outlet end of the anode inlet pipe 34 is close to the anode target 32, thus forcibly cooling the anode target 32 ​​with the cooling liquid.

[0074] In Embodiment 2 of the anode assembly 30, as Figure 9 As shown, the anode shank 31 is a hollow structure with axial penetration at both ends. Specifically, the two ends of the liquid-cooled cavity 33 axially penetrate both ends of the anode shank 31. The two ends of the liquid-cooled cavity 33 are sealed by the target base bottom 321 and the sealing end cap assembly, respectively. The two ends of the liquid-cooled cavity 33 are directly connected to the target base bottom 321 and the sealing end cap assembly. One end of the anode inlet pipe 34 extends into the liquid-cooled cavity 33, and its outlet port is close to the target base bottom 321. During exposure, the cooling liquid flowing from the anode inlet pipe 34 forcibly impacts the target base bottom 321 of the anode target 32, rapidly cooling it and providing sufficient cooling capacity. This gives the X-ray tube high heat dissipation capacity, enabling the formation of microfoci on the surface of special low-melting-point target materials such as silver and copper while achieving higher operating power. Therefore, the X-ray tube of this application is a liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100, capable of producing X-rays with higher luminous flux and higher stability.

[0075] Furthermore, since the anode shank 31 is made of copper, in order to facilitate the fixing of the anode shank 31 to the anode inlet pipe 34 and the anode outlet pipe 35, this application preferably adopts the following structure: Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, or as Figure 7 and Figure 9As shown, the sealing end cap assembly includes a first sealing end cap 36 and a second sealing end cap 37. The first sealing end cap 36 is sealed and fixed to the end of the anode shank 31 and blocks the liquid cooling cavity 33. The first sealing end cap 36 has several axially penetrating liquid cooling through holes 361, which are arranged around the periphery of the anode inlet pipe 34. The second sealing end cap 37 is sealed and fixed to the side of the first sealing end cap 36 facing away from the anode shank 31 and forms a liquid cooling transition cavity 38 between the second sealing end cap 36 and the first sealing end cap 37. The liquid cooling cavity 33 and the liquid cooling transition cavity 38 are connected through the several liquid cooling through holes 361. The anode inlet pipe 34 is fixedly inserted through the first sealing end cap 36 and the second sealing end cap 37. The anode outlet pipe 35 is fixed to the second sealing end cap 37, and one end of the anode outlet pipe 35 is connected to the liquid cooling transition cavity 38. With this configuration, the cooling liquid flowing out of the anode inlet pipe 34 impacts the anode target 32 ​​and flows in the liquid cooling chamber 33. It then flows into the liquid cooling transition chamber 38 through the liquid cooling through hole 361 and then flows back to the external cooling circulation system through the anode outlet pipe 35, thus achieving efficient heat dissipation for the anode assembly 30.

[0076] Preferably, the anode inlet pipe 34 is welded and sealed to both the first sealing end cap 36 and the second sealing end cap 37, the anode outlet pipe 35 is welded and sealed to the second sealing end cap 37, and the first sealing end cap 36 and the second sealing end cap 37 are welded and sealed together. A seventh sealing ring 117 is provided between the end of the anode shank 31 and the first sealing end cap 36, which facilitates fixing and ensures sealing. The first sealing end cap 36 and the second sealing end cap 37 are both made of stainless steel. The fixing method between the first sealing end cap 36 and the anode shank 31 is preferably bolt fixing, adhesive fixing, or threaded engagement. The fixing method between the second sealing end cap 37 and the first sealing end cap 36 is preferably bolt fixing or adhesive fixing.

[0077] Furthermore, with the cathode assembly 20 connected to a negative high voltage and the anode assembly 30 grounded, the anode assembly 30 is at ground potential, eliminating the risk of high-voltage insulation. The cooling liquid in the cooling pipe of the liquid pipe connecting assembly 90 can be a conductive medium, a non-conductive medium, or various cooling media with high specific heat capacity, good thermal conductivity, and good fluidity, such as high-purity water, deionized water, plant water, ethylene glycol aqueous solution, fluorinated liquid, heat transfer oil, silicone oil, transformer oil, etc. Deionized water is preferred, allowing a water-cooled circulation structure to be used for forced circulation cooling in the anode assembly 30, achieving high heat dissipation rate at low cost. Based on this, if... Figure 6 As shown, a high-voltage socket slot 80 is installed on the cathode end cap 60, and the high-voltage socket slot 80 is electrically connected to the cathode assembly 20 through a connecting post 156. During exposure of the encapsulated side-ejection microfocus X-ray tube, the high-voltage socket slot 80 is connected to an external high-voltage generator through a high-voltage cable, and the high-voltage socket slot 80 provides negative high voltage to the cathode through the connecting post 156.

[0078] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 As shown, the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube also includes a cathode shielding cover 152, a cathode high-voltage insulating tube 154, a radiation protection cylinder 151, and an anode shielding cover 153. The cathode shielding cover 152, the cathode high-voltage insulating tube 154, the radiation protection cylinder 151, and the anode shielding cover 153 are all fixed inside the cylinder assembly 40. A radiation shielding cylinder 151 is fitted around the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100. A cathode shielding cover 152 and an anode shielding cover 153 are distributed along the axial direction of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 on both sides. The cathode shielding cover 152 is located between the cathode assembly 20 and the high-voltage socket slot 80. A connecting post 156 is partially embedded in the cathode shielding cover 152. A cathode high-voltage insulating tube 154 is fixed between the cathode end cap 60 and the cathode shielding cover 152, and fitted around the high-voltage socket slot 80 and the connecting post 156. Radiation protection is formed through the cathode shielding cover 152, the cathode high-voltage insulating tube 154, the radiation shielding cylinder 151, and the anode shielding cover 153, improving operational safety. Furthermore, creepage grooves 155 are provided on both the left and right end faces of the cathode shielding cover 152. These grooves increase the creepage distance and prevent arcing between the cathode negative high voltage and the inner wall of the cylinder assembly 40. The cathode high-voltage insulating tube 154 also plays a role in creepage, blocking high-voltage electricity.

[0079] Preferably, the cathode shielding cover 152 is made of epoxy resin doped with lead oxide, which provides both radiation shielding and high-voltage insulation. The radiation shielding cylinder 151 is made of any one or a combination of pure lead, lead-antimony alloy, pure tungsten, tungsten-nickel-copper alloy, tungsten-nickel-iron alloy, and pure tantalum. The anode shielding cover 153 is made of any one or a combination of pure lead, lead-antimony alloy, pure tungsten, tungsten-nickel-copper alloy, tungsten-nickel-iron alloy, and pure tantalum. Thus, both the radiation shielding cylinder 151 and the anode shielding cover 153 are high atomic number materials that attenuate X-rays. In this way, the radiation shielding cylinder 151, the cathode shielding cover 152, and the anode shielding cover 153 together form a radiation protection cavity, which shields non-effective X-rays (such as scattered X-rays) except for the effective X-rays emitted from the radiation outlet 140.

[0080] Furthermore, such as Figure 6As shown, along the axial direction of the cylindrical assembly 40, the anode end cap 70, radiation shielding cylinder 151, cathode shielding cover 152, cathode high-voltage insulating tube 154, and cathode end cap 60 are sequentially tightened together. During installation, the anode end cap 70 is first fastened to one end of the cylindrical assembly 40 with several bolts. Then, the radiation shielding cylinder 151, cathode shielding cover 152, and cathode high-voltage insulating tube 154 are sequentially inserted into the cylindrical assembly 40. Finally, the cathode end cap 60 is fastened to the other end of the cylindrical assembly 40 with several bolts. Preferably, the cathode shielding cover 152 has an insertion groove 157 on the outer periphery of the side facing the radiation shielding cylinder 151. The end of the radiation shielding cylinder 151 is inserted into the insertion groove 157, which improves shielding reliability and prevents ineffective X-rays from leaking out from this location.

[0081] Preferably, such as Figure 6 As shown, along the axial direction of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100, the gap between the cathode shielding cover 152 and the anode shielding cover 153 is 1mm-3mm. This can prevent X-ray leakage due to excessive axial gap, and also prevent assembly problems due to insufficient axial gap.

[0082] Preferably, both the cathode high-voltage insulating tube 154 and the radiation shielding cylinder 151 are lead cylinders, and both the cathode shielding cover 152 and the anode shielding cover 153 include an epoxy base material and a lead oxide layer fixed on the surface of the epoxy base material. Furthermore, as... Figure 5 As shown, an expander assembly 160 is also connected to the cathode end cap 60; when the insulating silicone or insulating oil inside the cylinder assembly 40 expands or contracts due to uneven heating and cooling, the expander assembly 160 is used to release and regulate the air, thereby improving operational stability.

[0083] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 , Figure 6 , Figure 13 and Figure 14As shown, the encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube also includes a side-exit beam port 120 and a protective cover 130. The tube assembly 40 has a radially extending tube flange 42, the inner circumferential region of which forms a side fixing port 41. The outer circumferential side of the tube housing 10 has a radially protruding side window connection portion 101, which is used to fix the tube housing 10 inside the tube assembly 40. The window assembly 50 includes a window flange 51, a beryllium window 52 sealed and fixed within the window flange 51, a connecting glass shell 53 located on the outer circumference of the window flange 51 and extending radially along the tube housing 10, and a mounting flange 54. The two ends of the connecting glass shell 53 are respectively sealed and fixed to the side window connection portion 101 and the window flange 51. The mounting flange 54 is sealed and fixed to the outer circumference of the connecting glass shell 53, so that the window assembly 50 is integrated and fixed to the side window connection portion 101 of the tube housing 10. The side-exit port 120 includes an outlet fixing part 121 and an outlet positioning part 122 extending radially toward the tube shell 10 from the outlet fixing part 121. The outlet positioning part 122 covers the periphery of the side window connection part 101 and the mounting flange 54 and abuts against the inner wall surface of the side fixing port 41. The outlet fixing part 121 is fixedly connected to the tube flange 42 by several bolts, fixing the side-exit port 120 to the tube assembly 40. The outlet fixing part 121 is also fixedly connected to the mounting flange 54 by several bolts, fixing the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 to the tube assembly 40. At the same time, a sixth sealing ring 116 is provided between the outlet fixing part 121 and the mounting flange 54, and between the outlet fixing part 121 and the tube flange 42, so that a vacuum seal is formed between the tube shell 10 and the tube assembly 40. The protective cover 130 is fixed to the outer end of the side beam outlet 120 by several bolts and covers the beam outlet fixing part 121. Both the side beam outlet 120 and the protective cover 130 are provided with a radiation outlet 140 that allows the window flange 51 and the beryllium window 52 to be exposed.

[0084] Preferably, the material of the side-exit beam 120 is a high atomic number material that attenuates X-rays, such as any one or a combination of pure lead, lead-antimony alloy, pure tungsten, tungsten-nickel-copper alloy, tungsten-nickel-iron alloy, and pure tantalum. Combined with the combined effect of the radiation shielding cylinder 151, cathode shielding cover 152, and anode shielding cover 153, X-rays can only exit from the radiation outlet 140.

[0085] Furthermore, the external cooling circulation system is a water chiller, preferably an air-cooled water chiller, i.e., a water chiller with air-cooling components. The encapsulated side-emission microfocus X-ray tube also includes a controller, a cooling circuit, and a flow meter and a high-precision temperature sensor, both mounted on the cooling circuit. The inlet connection pipe 92 and the outlet connection pipe 93 are respectively connected to the two ends of the cooling circuit. The flow meter and the temperature sensor are both connected to the controller, which can be the controller of the high-pressure generator. During the operation of the encapsulated side-emission microfocus X-ray tube, the high-pressure generator controls the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 to operate at a set tube voltage and tube current to generate X-rays; the real-time temperature of the anode component 30 is precisely measured based on the data from the temperature sensor; when the controller determines that the real-time temperature of the anode component 30 is within the preset temperature threshold range, the controller controls the air-cooled water chiller to only operate in liquid cooling mode; when the controller determines that the real-time temperature of the anode component 30 exceeds the preset temperature threshold range, the controller controls the air-cooled water chiller to operate in both liquid cooling and air cooling modes, and the compressor in the air-cooled water chiller also participates in the cooling work, forcibly cooling and balancing the temperature in a very short time. Thus, this application maintains the real-time temperature of the anode assembly 30 within a set range, avoiding thermal drift of the anode assembly 30 and improving the spatial stability of the focal spot. Of course, in other embodiments, the controller can also be the control system of the entire packaged side-beam microfocus X-ray tube, using the real-time temperature of the anode assembly 30 fed back by a temperature sensor to control the flow rate of the external cooling circulation system, ensuring that the temperature of the anode assembly 30 remains highly stable. A flow meter is used to monitor the flow rate of the cooling circuit and feed it back to the controller. When the controller detects a flow interruption based on the flow meter's feedback, the high-pressure generator issues a command to shut off the high pressure of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100, preventing the anode target 32 ​​of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 from melting due to the interruption of the cooling flow.

[0086] In summary, this application starts the water chiller before the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 operates. During exposure, the outlet of the water chiller pumps the cooling fluid from the water tank into the hollow anode shank 31 through the liquid pipe connection assembly 90, directly cooling the anode shank 31 and the anode target 32. The heated liquid flows out through the re-liquid pipe connection assembly 90. A cooling circuit is directly provided inside the anode assembly 30, with cooling fluid flowing inside, achieving the purpose of cooling the anode assembly 30 and maintaining its constant temperature. This effectively improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the anode target 32, extends the lifespan of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100, and enables the liquid-cooled X-ray tube 100 to produce higher X-ray brightness and increase power.

[0087] In summary, this invention effectively overcomes the various shortcomings of the prior art and has high industrial application value.

[0088] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A packaged side-exit microfocus X-ray tube, comprising a cylindrical assembly (40) filled with an insulating medium and a liquid-cooled X-ray tube (100), wherein the cylindrical assembly (40) is provided with a radially penetrating side fixing port (41), and the liquid-cooled X-ray tube (100) comprises a tube shell (10), a cathode assembly (20) sealed and fixed at one end of the tube shell (10), an anode assembly (30) sealed and fixed at the other end of the tube shell (10), and a window assembly (50) fixed on the tube shell (10), wherein the tube shell (10) is rigidly fixedly connected to the cylindrical assembly (40) at the side fixing port (41); Its features are: The anode assembly (30) includes an anode shank (31) sealed and fixed to the casing (10), an anode target (32) fixed to one end of the anode shank (31) facing the cathode assembly (20), a sealing end cap assembly fixed to the other end of the anode shank (31), and an anode inlet pipe (34) and an anode outlet pipe (35) both sealed and fixed to the sealing end cap assembly. The anode shank (31) is provided with a liquid cooling chamber (33), and one end of the anode inlet pipe (34) and one end of the anode outlet pipe (35) are connected to the liquid cooling chamber (33). The cylinder assembly (40) has an anode end cap (70) sealed and fixed at one end of the anode assembly (30). A liquid pipe connection assembly (90) is installed on the anode end cap (70). The liquid pipe connection assembly (90) includes a liquid pipe connection plate (91) fixed on the outer side of the anode end cap (70), and an inlet connection pipe (92) and an outlet connection pipe (93) both fixed on the liquid pipe connection plate (91). One end of the inlet connection pipe (92) is flexibly connected to the other end of the anode inlet pipe (34), and one end of the outlet connection pipe (93) is flexibly connected to the other end of the anode outlet pipe (35). The other ends of the inlet connection pipe (92) and the outlet connection pipe (93) are both used to connect to an external cooling circulation system. The liquid inlet pipe (92), anode liquid inlet pipe (34), liquid cooling chamber (33), anode liquid outlet pipe (35) and liquid outlet pipe (93) are connected in sequence to form an anode liquid cooling channel, which is isolated from the inner cavity of the cylinder assembly (40).

2. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid inlet connecting pipe (92) and the anode liquid inlet pipe (34) are flexibly connected by a liquid inlet flexible connecting pipe (95). The two ends of the liquid inlet flexible connecting pipe (95) are respectively sealed to the liquid inlet connecting pipe (92) and the anode liquid inlet pipe (34). The liquid outlet connecting pipe (93) and the anode liquid outlet pipe (35) are flexibly connected by a liquid outlet flexible connecting pipe (96). The two ends of the liquid outlet flexible connecting pipe (96) are respectively sealed to the liquid outlet connecting pipe (93) and the anode liquid outlet pipe (35). Both the liquid inlet flexible connecting pipe (95) and the liquid outlet flexible connecting pipe (96) are corrugated pipes or hoses.

3. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 2, characterized in that: The liquid pipe connection assembly (90) further includes a pagoda connector (94) fixed to the inner end side of the liquid pipe connection plate (91). The anode end cap (70) is provided with a connector mounting groove (71) for accommodating the pagoda connector (94). The pagoda connector (94) is provided with a first pagoda head (941) connected to the liquid inlet connection pipe (92) and a second pagoda head (942) connected to the liquid outlet connection pipe (93). The first pagoda head (941) is flexibly connected to the anode liquid inlet pipe (34) via the liquid inlet flexible connection pipe (95), and the second pagoda head (942) is flexibly connected to the anode liquid outlet pipe (35) via the liquid outlet flexible connection pipe (96).

4. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cylindrical assembly (40) has a cathode end cap (60) sealed and fixed at one end of the cathode assembly (20). At least one first sealing ring (111) is provided between the cylindrical assembly (40) and the cathode end cap (60), and between the cylindrical assembly (40) and the anode end cap (70). The first sealing ring (111) is provided on the outer periphery of the cathode end cap (60) and the anode end cap (70). A second sealing ring (112) is provided between the male end cap (70) and the liquid pipe connecting plate (91), and the second sealing ring (112) is distributed around the pagoda connector (94); A third sealing ring (113), a fourth sealing ring (114), and a fifth sealing ring (115) are provided between the liquid pipe connecting plate (91) and the pagoda connector (94). The third sealing ring (113) is distributed around the liquid inlet connecting pipe (92), the fourth sealing ring (114) is distributed around the liquid outlet connecting pipe (93), and the fifth sealing ring (115) is distributed around the liquid inlet connecting pipe (92) and the liquid outlet connecting pipe (93).

5. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 4, characterized in that: There are two first sealing rings (111) between the cylindrical assembly (40) and the female end cap (60), and between the cylindrical assembly (40) and the male end cap (70), with the two first sealing rings (111) arranged side by side along the axial direction of the cylindrical assembly (40).

6. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 4, characterized in that: The liquid pipe connecting plate (91) and the pagoda connector (94) are fixedly connected by several bolts. The liquid pipe connecting plate (91) is provided with a first connecting hole for the bolt to be screwed in, and the pagoda connector (94) is provided with a second connecting hole for the bolt to be screwed in. The first connecting hole is a through hole, and the second connecting hole is a countersunk hole. Of the bolts that fix the liquid pipe connecting plate (91) and the pagoda connector (94), some bolts are distributed between the third sealing ring (113) and the fifth sealing ring (115), and between the fourth sealing ring (114) and the fifth sealing ring (115), while the remaining bolts are distributed around the fifth sealing ring (115).

7. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anode target (32) includes a target base bottom (321) sealed and fixed at the end of the anode shank (31) and a target material fixed on the surface of the target base bottom (321). The target base bottom (321) is a diamond substrate, and the target material is any one of copper, silver, chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, rhodium, gold, iron, and SiC.

8. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the anode inlet pipe (34) extends into the liquid cooling cavity (33) and is close to the anode target (32).

9. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cathode assembly (20) is connected to a negative high voltage, and the anode assembly (30) is grounded; The cylindrical assembly (40) has a cathode end cap (60) sealed and fixed at one end of the cathode assembly (20). A high-voltage socket slot (80) is installed on the cathode end cap (60). The high-voltage socket slot (80) is electrically connected to the cathode assembly (20) through a connecting post (156).

10. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 9, characterized in that: It also includes a cathode shielding cover (152) and a cathode high-voltage insulating tube (154). The cathode shielding cover (152) is fixed inside the cylindrical assembly (40) and located between the cathode assembly (20) and the high-voltage socket groove (80). The connecting post (156) is partially embedded in the cathode shielding cover (152). The cathode high-voltage insulating tube (154) is fixed between the cathode end cap (60) and the cathode shielding cover (152) and is sleeved around the high-voltage socket groove (80) and the connecting post (156). The cathode shielding cover (152) has creepage grooves (155) on both sides of its end face. The cathode shielding cover (152) is made of epoxy resin doped with lead oxide.

11. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 10, characterized in that: It also includes a radiation protection cylinder (151) and an anode shielding cover (153) both fixed inside the cylinder assembly (40). The radiation protection cylinder (151) is sleeved around the liquid-cooled X-ray tube (100). The cathode shielding cover (152) and the anode shielding cover (153) are distributed along the axial direction of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube (100) on both sides of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube (100). The radiation protection cylinder (151), the cathode shielding cover (152), and the anode shielding cover (153) together form a radiation protection cavity for accommodating the liquid-cooled X-ray tube (100). The radiation shielding cylinder (151) and the anode shielding cover (153) are made of any one or a combination of pure lead, lead-antimony alloy, pure tungsten, tungsten-nickel-copper alloy, tungsten-nickel-iron alloy, and pure tantalum.

12. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 11, characterized in that: Along the axial direction of the liquid-cooled X-ray tube (100), the gap between the cathode shield (152) and the anode shield (153) is 1mm-3mm.

13. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 11, characterized in that: Along the axial direction of the cylindrical assembly (40), the anode end cap (70), radiation shielding cylinder (151), cathode shielding cap (152), cathode high voltage insulating tube (154) and cathode end cap (60) are sequentially pressed together, and the anode end cap (70) and cathode end cap (60) are each fastened to both ends of the cylindrical assembly (40) by several bolts; The cathode shielding cover (152) has a plug groove (157) on the side facing the radiation protection cylinder (151), and the end of the radiation protection cylinder (151) is inserted into the plug groove (157).

14. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a side outlet (120) and a protective cover (130); the cylindrical assembly (40) is provided with a cylindrical flange (42) for forming a side fixing port (41), the tube shell (10) is provided with a radially protruding side window connection (101), the window assembly (50) includes a window flange (51), a beryllium window (52) sealed and fixed in the window flange (51), a connecting glass shell (53) provided on the outer periphery of the window flange (51) and extending radially along the tube shell (10), and a mounting flange (54), the side outlet (120) includes an outlet fixing part (121) and an outlet positioning part (122) extending radially toward the tube shell (10) from the outlet fixing part (121). The two ends of the connecting glass shell (53) are sealed and fixed to the side window connecting part (101) and the window flange (51) respectively. The mounting flange (54) is sealed and fixed to the outer periphery of the connecting glass shell (53). The outlet fixing part (121) and the mounting flange (54) are fixedly connected by several bolts, as are the outlet fixing part (121) and the cylindrical flange (42). The outlet positioning part (122) covers the periphery of the side window connecting part (101) and the mounting flange (54) and abuts against the inner wall surface of the side fixing port (41). A sixth sealing ring (116) is provided between the outlet fixing part (121) and the mounting flange (54), and between the outlet fixing part (121) and the cylinder flange (42). The protective cover (130) is fixed to the outer end of the beam outlet fixing part (121) and covers the beam outlet fixing part (121). Both the side beam outlet (120) and the protective cover (130) are provided with a ray outlet (140) that allows the window flange (51) and the beryllium window (52) to be exposed.

15. The encapsulated side-exit microfocus X-ray tube according to claim 14, characterized in that: The side outlet (120) is made of any one or a combination of pure lead, lead-antimony alloy, pure tungsten, tungsten-nickel-copper alloy, tungsten-nickel-iron alloy, and pure tantalum.

Images