Liquid cooled fluid conduits in a collector for an electron beam tube

Abstract

A liquid cooled collector for an electron beam tube. The collector includes a dielectric body through which is formed a central cavity. Within the central cavity are disposed at least one electrode that dissipates the impinging electron beam. The electrodes are thermally coupled to the dielectric body. As such, when the electrodes absorb the electron beam, the resulting heat is conducted into the dielectric body. A plurality of fluid conduits are disposed around the dielectric body wherein at least one side of each conduit is defined by the dielectric body. Furthermore, an input manifold and an output manifold are also partially defined by the dielectric body and interconnect each of the fluid conduits. Each of the fluid conduits extend separately from a point along the input manifold to a point along the output manifold. Consequently, by providing a flow of coolant into the input manifold, the coolant flows through each of the fluid conduits into the output manifold, thereby cooling separate regions of the dielectric body. Since all the fluid conduits are contained within the casing of the collector, the collector is liquid cooled in a very space-efficient manner. In addition, since the heat conduction paths through the dielectric material to the fluid conduits are very short, the fluid conduits absorb heat in a highly efficient manner.