Asymmetrical Toroid Anode Terminal for High Voltage Field Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional high voltage anode terminals with circular cross-sections result in unnecessary space and increased costs due to maintaining a constant radius of curvature both inside and outside the toroid, leading to excessive field enhancement and arcing in high voltage power supplies.
Innovation Solution
An asymmetrical toroid anode terminal with variable radii of curvature, where the largest radius is reserved for the section closest to ground, reducing the overall size and cost while effectively minimizing field enhancement and arcing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional circular toroid anode terminal with constant radius of curvature is used, then field enhancement is reduced, but the overall size and cost of the high voltage power supply enclosure increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by changing the toroid from a symmetric circular cross-section to an asymmetric elliptical cross-section. The toroid has different radii of curvature: a larger radius (3 inches) on the ground-facing side to reduce field enhancement, and a smaller radius on the opposite side to minimize overall size. This asymmetric geometry resolves the contradiction by providing the required field enhancement protection only where needed rather than uniformly around the entire toroid.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by varying the radius of curvature at different locations of the toroid. The ground-facing portion has a large radius of curvature (3 inches) to minimize field enhancement and corona discharge, while other portions have smaller radii. This localized optimization of geometric properties resolves the contradiction by providing field enhancement reduction only in the critical region near ground potential rather than uniformly throughout.
2Reliability
If a large radius of curvature toroid is used to minimize field enhancement, then arcing is reduced, but the distance to ground and overall device dimensions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric toroid geometry provides a large radius of curvature (3 inches) specifically on the ground-facing side, which is the only location where large radius is needed for arcing prevention. The opposite side of the toroid has a much smaller radius, allowing the overall distance to ground to be minimized while maintaining adequate arcing protection at the critical interface between high voltage and ground potential.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the large radius of curvature property only where it is most needed - at the ground-facing portion of the toroid where field enhancement and arcing risks are highest. Other regions of the toroid have smaller radii, allowing compact overall dimensions while maintaining arcing reduction where it matters most.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The asymmetrical toroid anode terminal reduces the overall size of the high voltage power supply enclosure by 2.56:1, minimizing field enhancement and arcing while conserving space and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
An asymmetrical geometry causes high voltage fields to act as though the tank housing the high voltage terminal is dimensionally larger than its actual size. The asymmetrical toroid anode terminal with variable radii of curvature, where the largest radius is reserved for the section closest to ground, reducing the overall size and cost while effectively minimizing field enhancement and arcing.
Data Source
AI summary
An anode terminal is provided for use high voltage applications that also serves as a shield, and which reduces the overall size of the anode terminal and an enclosure containing the anode terminal. The anode terminal includes a toroid and the maximum radius of curvature that is required to provide an optimal field enhancement reduction is reserved for the section of the toroid that is closest to ground, including the walls of the enclosure. The toroid of the anode terminal has variable radii of curvature along its outer surface and is asymmetrical.