Page 34 - ILK Research Report 2020

Kobra

Compact fibre-ceramic based X-ray tube for mobile
computed tomography scanners

Today, computed tomography as an established procedure in imaging radiology Period
is successfully used to make diagnoses for a wide variety of clinical pictures. In 01.10.2019 – 30.09.2022
particular, the use of mobile computed tomography (CT) scanners installed in
ambulances increases the chances of survival and recovery for stroke patients Project Director
and accident and assault victims. To make this technically feasible, a drastic Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Maik Gude
reduction in the volume and weight of the components installed in the CT
is necessary. In the “Kobra“ joint project, the volume and weight of the X-ray Contact Person
source, including the drive unit, is to be reduced by 40 % through functional Dr.-Ing. Daniel Weck
integration and the use of new technologies. The focus here is on the X-ray Dr.-Ing. Thomas Behnisch
tube‘s rotation unit and the associated electronics, which are to be integrated
into the X-ray tube. At the ILK, the anode base body of the rotation unit is be- Funding
ing designed and laid out. The base material used is carbon fibre-reinforced • Federal Ministry of Education
carbon, which is characterized by high thermal conductivity combined with and Research (BMBF)
high density-specific rigidity and strength, even in the high-temperature range. • VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH
These properties are required because the compact design of the X-ray tube‘s
rotating system means that the rotational frequency of the anode has to be Project Partner
increased significantly at constant short-term peak loads in order to avoid • Philips Medical Systems GmbH
thermal overload of the focal track. • Hightex Verstärkungsstrukturen GmbH
• Strucnamics Engineering GmbH
• Helmut-Schmidt-Universität

Sectional model of an X-ray tube to illustrate the setup with metallic rotating anode

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