Abstract :
Most X-ray tubes in scientific and industrial applications use filaments that are floating at a high voltage, typically 50 kV to 160 kV, from ground. The beam current taken by the X-ray tube, and hence the quantity of X-rays produced, is a function of the temperature of the filament; the hotter the filament the greater the beam current and the more X-rays. Also, the filament must run at a very high temperature before any emission is produced, so careful control of power in the filament is essential. This article looks at how the latest filament control circuits protect X-ray tubes.
Keywords :
X-ray production; X-ray tubes; electric control equipment; electric current control; physical instrumentation control; power control; 50 to 160 kV; PIC; X-ray tubes; beam current; filament floating voltage; filament power control; filament temperature; industrial applications; scientific applications;
