Rotating Capacitor Bearing Layout for Vacuum-Safe Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The maintenance workability of the bearing in a rotating capacitor used in circular accelerators is deteriorated due to the need to periodically replace the bearing, which requires opening the vacuumed housing to the atmosphere, leading to inefficiencies and increased downtime.
Innovation Solution
The bearing is installed on the atmosphere side, and a vacuum seal is used to support the rotation shaft, allowing maintenance to be performed without opening the vacuumed housing, thus improving maintenance efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the bearing is disposed inside the vacuumed housing, then the bearing can support the rotation shaft during high-speed rotation, but the housing must be opened to the atmosphere for bearing replacement, deteriorating maintenance workability
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a vacuum chamber and an atmosphere chamber separated by a partition wall. The bearing is disposed in the atmosphere chamber while the rotation shaft penetrates through the partition wall into the vacuum chamber. This segmentation allows the bearing to be accessed from the atmosphere side for easy maintenance while maintaining the vacuum environment for the rotation shaft operation.
Solution Approach 2:
A partition wall acts as an intermediary structure between the vacuum chamber and atmosphere chamber. It provides a boundary that maintains the vacuum environment while allowing the rotation shaft to pass through and the bearing to be installed on the atmosphere side, enabling maintenance without breaking the vacuum seal.
2Ease of repair
If the housing is opened for bearing replacement, then the bearing can be accessed for maintenance, but the vacuum environment is disrupted, increasing downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into vacuum and atmosphere chambers, allowing the bearing to be located in the atmosphere chamber where it can be maintained without disrupting the vacuum environment. This enables bearing replacement while the accelerator remains operational, eliminating downtime associated with vacuum breaking and re-establishment.
3Reliability
If the bearing is disposed inside the vacuumed housing, then the rotation shaft can be supported during operation, but periodic replacement requires complex vacuum breaking and re-vacuuming procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into two independent chambers: a vacuum chamber for the rotation shaft and an atmosphere chamber for the bearing. This segmentation allows the bearing to be maintained through simple access from the atmosphere side without complex vacuum breaking and re-vacuuming procedures, while the rotation shaft continues to operate in the vacuum environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall serves as an intermediary that separates the vacuum and atmosphere environments. It allows the rotation shaft to penetrate through while maintaining the vacuum seal, and provides easy access to the bearing on the atmosphere side, eliminating the need for complex maintenance procedures.
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 facilitates maintenance of the bearing without disrupting the vacuum, reducing downtime and improving the operational efficiency of the circular accelerator.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum seal that performs vacuum sealing around a rotation shaft for rotating the rotor electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A rotating capacitor is used in a circular accelerator that accelerates a charged particle beam by feeding a first radio frequency to a DC main magnetic field. The rotating capacitor modulates a frequency of the first radio frequency. The rotating capacitor includes a stator electrode and a rotor electrode used for modulating the frequency of the first radio frequency together with the stator electrode. A vacuum seal performs vacuum sealing around a shaft for rotating the rotor electrode. A bearing that supports the shaft is installed on an atmosphere side.