JPS6047484A - Ion laser device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the cooling system from being broken by a method wherein a valve to be used for relieving pressure made to rise by boiling of a cooling agent in the cooler is provided. CONSTITUTION:An ion laser tube 1 made to rise to a high temperature by arc discharge is cooled by pouring a cooling agent. When a pump 9 stops its action from one cause or another, a flow meter 11 detects the abnormality and flashes an alarm signal. By this alarm signal, the arc discharge of the laser tube 1 stops, and at the same time, a valve 12 acts and makes pressure made to rise by boiling of the cooling agent relieve into a tank 13 and the pressure is stored in the tank 13. As a result, the cooling system is prevented from being broken, and at the same time, when the ion laser device is again actuated, any necessity to supply the cooling agent released due to pressure rising is eliminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cooling method for cooling an ion laser tube by circulating a coolant in a closed loop.

An ion laser device generates laser oscillation by causing a large current arc discharge within a laser tube, but a large amount of coolant is required to remove the heat caused by this large current arc discharge. Generally, the cooling system is an oven loop type because the refrigerant is used as a drip. However, if a large amount of refrigerant is not available, the refrigerant may be circulated and the refrigerant may be cooled secondarily using a cooler or the like.

If we consider the case where the pumping of the secondary refrigerant stops or the flow rate decreases, the arc discharge will stop if the power is turned off by an alarm signal from the flow meter, etc., but normally the heat due to the arc discharge is released outside the laser tube. Because a medium is used, this medium is very hot during the arc discharge, so even if the arc discharge is stopped at the same time as the refrigerant pumping is stopped.

Due to the amount of heat held by the medium described above, there is a risk of boiling in the portion where the coolant is in contact with the laser tube.

In the case of a circulation type cooling system, it is a closed loop, so if the refrigerant boils and the internal pressure rises rapidly as described above, parts of the cooling system with low pressure resistance will be destroyed, and other equipment will be damaged. In some cases, refrigerant may splatter on the
There was a risk of major damage to other equipment.

In order to eliminate these drawbacks, the present invention provides an ion laser device equipped with a valve for releasing the pressure increased by boiling, and will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

The figure shows an embodiment of the present invention, where 1 is an ion laser tube, 2 is an ion laser tube, and 2 is an ion laser tube.
3 is a cathode of the ion laser tube; 4 is an anode;
5' is a mirror that constitutes the optical resonator, 6 is the optical axis of the laser beam, 7 is a jacket for cooling the laser tube, and 8 is a cooling device that absorbs heat from the laser tube and cools the coolant that has risen in temperature. 9 is a pump for circulating the refrigerant.

10 is a bypass valve that adjusts the pressure pumped by the pump; 11 is a flow meter that detects the flow rate of refrigerant and issues a signal if there is an abnormality; 12 is a valve that operates according to the signal from the flow meter; and 13 stores refrigerant. Tank, 14. 14' indicates the direction in which the refrigerant flows.

In the operation of the present invention, the laser tube, which has become hot due to arc discharge, is cooled down by flowing refrigerant. However, for some reason, the operation of the pump 9 stops and the flowmeter 11 detects an abnormality and sends an alarm signal. is released, the arc discharge stops, and the pressure is released by opening the valve 12, released into the tank 13, and stored, when the circulatory system cools down and the internal pressure drops.

The amount of water released from the tank will be replenished again.

As explained above, even if the flow of the refrigerant stops and the preheating of the laser tube causes the refrigerant around the laser tube to boil and the pressure inside the circulation system increases, the pressure is released by the valve 12 and stored in the tank 13. Therefore, there is no need to replenish the refrigerant released due to the pressure increase when the refrigerant is operated again. In addition, if the tank 13 is installed as shown in Figure 1, even if the pressure drops and the refrigerant is automatically resupplied, there is no need to worry about air entering the tank, which will prevent bubbles from adversely affecting laser oscillation. It can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. 1... Ion laser tube, 2... Constant current power supply,
3... Cathode of laser tube, 4... Anode of laser tube, 5゜5'... Mirror (resonator), 6
...Face optical axis, 7..Curved cooling jacket, 8..Curved cooler%9..Curved f, 77'. 10...Pressure control valve, 11, bend, flow meter,
12... Valve, 13... Curved tank, 14... Curved - Direction of flow of refrigerant.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A constant current power supply that stably arc discharges the ion laser tube and the main laser tube, a mirror that constitutes an optical resonator for laser oscillation, and a cooling jacket that cools the laser tube. , the piping for transporting the refrigerant, the cooler for cooling the refrigerant, the pump for pumping the refrigerant, the pulp for adjusting the pumping pressure, and detecting abnormalities in the flow rate of the refrigerant. An ion laser device comprising: a flowmeter that outputs an alarm signal; and a solenoid valve operated by the alarm signal of the flowmeter.