Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer Transformer Layout for Thermal Drift Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The thermal effects generated by the transformer in a quadrupole mass spectrometer cause measurement errors due to heat-induced drift in the circuit components, affecting the accuracy of continuous mass-to-charge ratio measurements.
Innovation Solution
The quadrupole mass spectrometer incorporates a transformer with a toroidal core and radially wound primary and secondary windings made of metal conductors, increasing the effective cross-sectional area and reducing thermal losses, while simplifying the winding process and improving productivity by using a plate-like metal conductor for the primary winding and a stack configuration for the toroidal core to enhance magnetic flux and heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a conventional transformer with wire-wound primary winding is used, then the transformer can transform high-frequency voltage, but thermal loss increases and measurement precision deteriorates due to heat generation affecting circuit components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the primary winding by using a plate-like metal conductor instead of traditional wire winding. This increases the effective cross-sectional area for current flow, reducing resistive thermal loss. The plate structure allows current to distribute across a larger area, directly addressing the thermal loss problem while preventing heat-induced measurement drift.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional wire winding structure to a two-dimensional plate-like structure for the primary winding. This dimensional change increases the effective cross-sectional area through which high-frequency current flows, thereby reducing thermal loss and heat generation that would otherwise affect measurement precision.
2Ease of manufacture
If a conventional wire-wound primary winding is used, then the transformer can be constructed, but the number of turns increases and productivity decreases due to complex winding work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameters by replacing the wire-winding process with a plate mounting process. The plate-like metal conductor can be directly mounted or attached to the toroidal core, eliminating the time-consuming winding operation. This dramatically simplifies the manufacturing process and improves productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical winding process with a simpler mounting or attachment process for the plate-like conductor. This substitution eliminates complex manual or automated winding operations, reducing manufacturing complexity and improving production efficiency.
3Loss of energy
If the cross-sectional area of the primary winding is increased, then thermal loss is reduced, but the transformer size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a plate-like structure that utilizes the surface area of the toroidal core more effectively. By wrapping or mounting the plate around the core, the effective cross-sectional area for current flow is increased without proportionally increasing the overall transformer footprint, as the plate conforms to the core's geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a toroidal (doughnut-shaped) core with curved geometry, and the plate-like primary winding is configured to wrap around this curved surface. This curved configuration allows the plate to maximize its effective cross-sectional area while maintaining a compact form factor that fits within the toroidal geometry, minimizing the overall footprint.
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
This configuration significantly reduces thermal effects and heat generation, maintaining measurement accuracy and improving productivity by minimizing thermal impact and core losses, as demonstrated by reduced temperatures in experimental results.
Implementation Method 1
the transformer includes a toroidal core, and a primary winding and a secondary winding that are wound around the toroidal core
Implementation Method 2
it is possible to increase the effective cross-sectional area of the primary winding through which the high-frequency current flows. As a result, it becomes possible to reduce a thermal loss in the primary winding
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is aimed to provide a quadrupole mass spectrometer that is less thermally affected by a transformer, the quadrupole mass spectrometer including: an ionizer unit that ionizes a sample; a quadrupole unit that has two pairs of opposing electrodes that selectively pass ions generated in the ionizer unit; a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage obtained by superimposing a high-frequency voltage V cos ωt over a DC voltage U and to each pair of the two pairs of opposing electrodes; and an ion detecting unit that detects ions having passed through the quadrupole unit, wherein the voltage applying unit includes the transformer that transforms the high-frequency voltage V cos ωt, and the transformer includes a toroidal core, and a primary winding and a secondary winding that are wound around the toroidal core, and the primary winding is formed of a metal conductor having a plate-like shaped.