| 摘要 |
A method and system for extending the service life of an x-ray tube wherein the coolant fluid which is circulated through a closed circulation system to remove heat generated by the x-ray tube and provide electrical insulation between anode connections and ground (and/or cathode connections) is regularly filtered and/or changed based on predetermined criteria. Provided for performing the filtering and/or changing is a cart which, preferably, is mobile, portable or otherwise easy and convenient to operate. The cart includes a new oil reservoir, an old oil container, various valves and a bidirectional pump for performing various functions. For example, the cart allows a technician or other skilled individual to connect the cart to a source of new oil for the purpose of filling its new oil reservoir container, this being known as the FILL mode. Also, the cart design allows a user to connect the cart to the cooling system and perform operations such as 1) replacing the existing oil with new oil (FLUSH mode), 2) circulating existing oil, whether new or old, through the circulation system as well as any filters coupled in-line with the circulation path (RECIRCULATE mode), and 3) add new oil to the cooling system from the reservoir (TRIM mode).
|
