Ceramic-Coated Glass Insulator for Vacuum High-Voltage Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum-compatible electrical insulators, such as ceramics and glass, face challenges in maintaining insulation under high energy plasma exposure and large size manufacturing, with ceramics being prone to fracture and glass being damaged by charged particles, leading to premature breakdown and increased manufacturing complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum-compatible electrical insulator comprising a glass substrate coated with a ceramic layer, specifically yttria or alumina, which protects the glass from high energy charged particles and maintains electrical insulation, allowing for larger sizes and reduced manufacturing complexity and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large size ceramic insulators are manufactured, then electrical insulation performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to fracture risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining glass and ceramic layers to create an insulator that leverages the advantages of both materials. The glass substrate provides large size capability and ease of manufacturing, while the ceramic coating delivers the required electrical insulation performance and plasma resistance, thus resolving the contradiction between insulation performance and manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulator is segmented into multiple functional layers (glass substrate and ceramic coating) where each layer performs a specific function. This segmentation allows the glass layer to handle manufacturing requirements for large sizes while the ceramic layer handles electrical insulation, avoiding the need to manufacture a single large ceramic piece that would be prone to fracture.
2Ease of manufacture
If glass insulators are used, then ease of manufacture for large sizes is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to surface flashover under vacuum
Solution Approach 1:
By creating a composite structure with glass substrate and ceramic coating, the patent combines the manufacturing advantages of glass with the vacuum insulation reliability of ceramic. The ceramic layer prevents surface flashover while the glass substrate maintains ease of manufacture for large sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The ceramic coating is applied locally on the glass substrate surface, providing enhanced electrical insulation properties specifically where needed (on the vacuum-exposed surface) while maintaining the overall glass structure's manufacturing advantages. This local quality enhancement resolves the reliability issue without sacrificing ease of manufacture.
3Ease of manufacture
If glass insulators are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but durability worsens due to damage from charged particles
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure combines inexpensive glass substrate with a protective ceramic coating. The glass provides cost-effectiveness while the ceramic layer protects against plasma damage, extending the insulator's service life under charged particle exposure without significantly increasing manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The ceramic coating serves as a protective barrier applied beforehand to shield the glass substrate from plasma damage. This pre-protective layer prevents direct interaction between charged particles and the glass, thereby extending durability while maintaining the cost advantages of glass manufacturing.
4Reliability
If ceramic insulators are used, then electrical insulation performance is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to fracture risk during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials where the glass substrate serves as the main body providing ease of manufacture for large sizes, while the ceramic coating is applied as a thinner layer to provide electrical insulation performance. This approach avoids the difficulty of manufacturing large solid ceramic pieces.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the insulator into glass substrate and ceramic coating layers, the patent separates the manufacturing function (handled by glass) from the insulation function (handled by ceramic). This segmentation makes the overall manufacturing process easier compared to creating a single large ceramic component.
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 ceramic-coated glass insulator effectively withstands high voltage and plasma exposure without significant damage, maintaining electrical insulation and reducing manufacturing costs compared to solid ceramic insulators, while providing a reliable vacuum seal and insulation barrier.
Implementation Method 1
a ceramic layer coating the at least one portion of the at least one face surface of the glass substrate
Implementation Method 2
maintaining electrical insulation, allowing for larger sizes and reduced manufacturing complexity and cost
Data Source
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AI summary
Examples of a high voltage insulator are described. The high-voltage insulator is vacuum compatible and comprises a glass substrate having a face surface and a ceramic layer with uniform thickness coated on the face surface of 5 the glass substrate. The coated surface of the insulator is able to withstand high voltage pulses and exposure to charged particles radiation for a pre-determined time period. The ceramic coated glass insulator is made of a single piece of glass and can be made to large sizes.