Particle accelerator with a heat pipe supporting components of a high voltage power supply

Abstract

A pulsed neutron generator includes neutron tube and a high voltage power supply. High voltage power supply includes a bulkhead and plurality of electronic components electrically connected between the bulkhead and the target of the neutron tube. A heat pipe is provided in thermal contact with the target and has a housing portion with an exterior surface supporting the plurality of electronic components of the high voltage power supply. Heat pipe includes wick and heat transfer fluid disposed within the housing portion. The wick for recirculates the heat transfer fluid within the housing portion in order to transfer heat away from the target preferably to the bulkhead for dissipation the system housing. Both the wick and heat transfer fluid are preferably realized from materials that have low electrical conductivity. The heat pipe can also be part of other-type particle accelerators, such as x-ray sources and gamma-ray sources.