US2712074A - Electrical control circuit - Google Patents

Electrical control circuit Download PDF

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US2712074A
US2712074A US573615A US57361545A US2712074A US 2712074 A US2712074 A US 2712074A US 573615 A US573615 A US 573615A US 57361545 A US57361545 A US 57361545A US 2712074 A US2712074 A US 2712074A
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electrode
control
transformers
voltage
circuit
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Hugh G Neil
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    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01JELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J27/00Ion beam tubes
    • H01J27/02Ion sources; Ion guns
    • H01J27/26Ion sources; Ion guns using surface ionisation, e.g. field effect ion sources, thermionic ion sources

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  • the invention described herein is concerned with improvements in electrical control circuit arrangements particularly adaptable for use in isotope separating apparatus, that is, apparatus designed for the separation of
  • the invention is particularly concerned with equipment wherein the ion source which forms part of the apparatus includes means for volatilizing a material to be ionized by the controlled application of heat to tie material.
  • an electrode is provided in a position adjacent the source of ions, and this electrode is maintained at a high negative potential for accelerating positive ions away from the ion source so that they can be formed into a beam and the isotopes thereof separated.
  • Some of the ions are collected by the negative electrode and lose their charge so that a small drain current flows through the electrode, and the magnitude of this current is proportional to the amount of or the density of the vapor in the vicinity of the ionizing means.
  • it has been recognized as being desirable to control the volatilization of the material to he ionized in response to the drain current just described.
  • desirable results have been obtained by controlling a so-called flash heater or radiant type heater in response to the drain current through the electrode just referred to, this heater being in a position to radiate heat directly on to the charge of material to be volatilized so that the response of the heater to changes in drain current would be quick.
  • the object of my invention is to provide an improved control circuit arrangement for controlling the volatilization of the charge material in response to the drain current, the control arrangement being such as to not cause interference with the voltage regulation of the accelerating electrode, which, in apparatus of the type referred to, is maintained at a high constant negative potential.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an isotope separator of the type which employs an ion generator in which the control arrangement of my invention may be practiced.
  • Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 3 is a view of the control arrangement of my invention applied to the ion producing source which is used in the system of Fig. 1.
  • FIG. 1 of the drawing there is shown diagrammatically an apparatus for isotope separation, the apparatus being of the type which includes ion generating means wherein a solid material is volatilized by the application of heat.
  • My invention is particularly adapted to the control of the application of the heat for volatilizing the material, so as to desirably regulate the amount of vapor present for ionization.
  • the apparatus of Fig. 1 is of the type disclosed in greater detail in the application of Ernest 0. Lawrence, Ser. No. 557,784, filed October 9, 1944.
  • the apparatus of Fig. 1 includes a tank 10, the interior of which is evacuated to a relatively high degree of vacuum as will be presently described.
  • the tank It is rectangular in cross section and one side is closed by a relatively heavy face plate 11 which is attachable to the tank by means of screw clamps 12 and 13, there being provided suitable bearing surfaces on face plate 11 and on the tank 19 so that when the face plate 11 is clamped into position, the tank 10 is attached to and carried by the face plate 11 as will be presently explained.
  • the tank It has windows 14, l5, l6 and 17 so as to make it possible to watch operations within the tank, and it has a large discharge outlet 29 through which the air and moisture within the tank are evacuated.
  • the discharge outlet 26 is connected to a diffusion pump or pumps 21 by pipe 22 and the diffusion pump is connected to a mechanical pump or pumps 23 by pipe 24.
  • the mechanical pump 23 may be a Kinney pump for example. This pump is of the rotary type.
  • the tank 10 is disposed between laminated iron cores or poles 27 as shown in cross section in Fig. 2 and wound around these pole pieces are electrical windings 28, the windings being disposed within tanks or housings 29, the housings 2% being shown in cross section in Fig. 1.
  • the windings 23 are energized with electric current so that a relatively intense magnetic field is produced which is in a direction transverse to the tank 10, that is, a horizontal direction looking at Fig. 2 and in a direction perpendicular to the paper looking at Fig. 1.
  • a cooling medium such as cooled oil or the like is circulated through the housings 29 for the purpose of cooling the coils therein.
  • a liner structure 35 in the form of an arcuate conduit which forms a passageway for a beam or beams of ions generated at the lower end of the liner and received in a receiver at the upper end of the liner.
  • the liner 35 is carried by the face plate lit by means of supporting structure designated by the numerals 36 and 37 and the brace member indicated by 38 and is supported from insulators 32, 33, and 34.
  • These castings are suitably supported within the tank and since they are identical and the structure and controls associated with each one are identical, only one will be described in detail.
  • My invention is particularly concerned with the manner of control of the volatilizing of the material within the containers 4% and 4 the automatic control apparatus for the heaters associated with the containers 4t and 4f. is shown in detail in Fig. 3.
  • the casting 41 comprises a lower portion 31 and a smaller upper portion 42, the two portions being connected by a converging throat as shown.
  • a container or bottle 43 which is removable and in which the charge material itself is placed, that is, the charge of material to be ionized.
  • a flash or radiant type heater 44 which may be the well known Calrod type of heater consisting of an elec- 0 trical resistance element wound upon a suitable insulating member. One end of the heating element is connected to a source of power and the other end is grounded as will be described, by being connected to the casting 40 or the like.
  • the vaporized material passes from portion 31 into portion 42 through a chimney 45, the vaporized material passing up and over a baflle member 46 adjacent the entrance end of the chimney 45.
  • a longitudinal slit 50 through which the vaporized material passes.
  • a cathode 51 Disposed at one end of this slit is a cathode 51, as shown in Fig. 3, across the terminals of which a suitable voltage is impressed when the apparatus is in operation.
  • the function of the cathode 51 in operation is to emit a stream of electrons into and along the slit 50 for the purpose of ionizing the vapor passing therethrough as will be presently described.
  • Numeral 52 designates electric heating elements associated with the portion 42 and to which electrical energy is supplied as will be described in connection with Fig. 3, one end of the heating elements being grounded by being connected to the casting 40 for example.
  • Numeral 53 designates a well in a sidewall of the portion 42 in which a thermocouple is located, the thermocouple being for the purpose of controlling the supply of heat to the heating elements.
  • a member 56 which may preferably be made of carbon and which has therein a slit parallel to the slit 50 so that the vapor emitted through the slit 50 can also pass through the slit in 56.
  • the electrode 56 constitutes an accelerating electrode for positive ions emerging from the slit 50 and this electrode is maintained at a relatively high negative potential as will presently be described.
  • the ions accelerated by the electrode 56 pass to the left, that is upwardly, through another slit in a member 57 forming a throat, and the slit in this throat is also in the form of an electrode 58 made of carbon and it is main tained at a relatively high negative potential somewhat lower than the potential of electrode 56.
  • Positive ions after passing through the throat 57 pass into the liner structure 35 and then travel in arcs of a circle around through the liner to the receiving structure at the opposite end of the liner; the positive ions move in arcs of a circle in this manner under the influence of the magnetic field previously described and the radii of the arcs depends upon the mass-charge properties of the ions.
  • the receiving chamber 60 is in the form of a box having a shape which in cross section is as shown in Fig. 1.
  • the receiver 60 may be adjusted laterally relative to the face plate 11 by stem 61 operating through linkages 62, and it may be adjusted in and out relative to the face plate by means of stem 63, the stems passing through suitable sealing devices 64 and 65 respectively associated with the face plate 11.
  • the receiver 60 has pockets 71 and 72 therein which are so located as to receive certain components of the beam of ions which travels around through the liner 35, different components of the beam, that is, particles having different mass-charge properties, travelling in circles of different radii as described above.
  • Within the pockets 71 and 72 are electrodes 73 and 74 respectively which are maintained at a certain potential which will presently be referred to.
  • the face plate 11 is grounded as shown as are the castings 40 and 41, and the liner 35 and the electrode 58 forming part of throat 57 are maintained at a relatively high negative potential V1 by conductor 75 which is led into the interior of the tank through a conduit 76 which extends through the face plate through a sealing insulator bushing 77.
  • the electrode 56 is maintained at a higher negative potential V1+Vz by means of a conductor 78 which is also led into the tank through the bushing 77 and the conduit 76.
  • the electrodes 73 and 74 are maintained at the potential V1 by means of conductors 79, 80, and 81.
  • the conductors leading to the electrodes in the receiver 60 extend through a conduit and bushing similar to those for the conductors 75 and 78 as shown.
  • a potential V3 is across the terminals of the cathode 51 and a Volt- '4 age V4 is impressed between the negative terminal of cathode 51 and ground, that is the casting 40. This latter potential sustains the are which is struck within slit 50 during operation.
  • the operation is that charge material in the bottle 43 is vaporized by the radiant heater 44 and the vapor passes up into the upper portion 42 of the casting where it is maintained in vapor state by the heating elements 52.
  • the vapor passes up through the slit Where it is ionized by the stream of electrons from the cathode 51, an are being formed in the slit 50 under the influence of voltage V4.
  • Electrode 56 which is maintained at a negative high potential, and under the influence of electrode 58, the ions pass into the liner structure 35 and thence travel in arcs of a circle around to the receiver 60, the radii of the arcs depending upon the mass-charge properties of the ionized particles.
  • the receiver is adjusted as described so that the desired isotopes of the ionized material is received in the collector pockets.
  • FIG. 3 of the drawing shows the automatic controls for the heaters associated with the castings 40 and 41 whereby the volatilization of the material to be ionized is controlled.
  • some of the positive ions are collected by the electrode 56 and lose their charge so that there is a small current flow through the circuit of this electrode.
  • the quantity of vapor present for ionization must be accurately controlled and the amount of current in the circuit of electrode 56, that is, the drain current, is an accurate indication of the amount of vapor present for ionization.
  • the objective of my invention as stated above is to provide an improved control circuit arrangement whereby the volatilization of the material to be ionized may be appropriately controlled in response to the drain current through the circuit of electrode 56. The details of this circuit will presently be described.
  • the heating elements 52 serve the purpose of maintaining the charge material in its vapor state in the portion 42 of casting 40, that is, they prevent the material from condensing within this portion.
  • the heaters 52 as pointed out above are grounded at one end by being connected to the casting 40 and they are otherwise connected by a wire 83 to one winding 84 of a transformer 85 having another winding 86. The other terminal of the winding 84 is grounded as shown.
  • the supply of power to the heaters 52 is controlled by a control system including a thermocouple 87 disposed in the well 53, which is connected to a control instrument 88 by leads as shown.
  • the control instrument 88 is one of any suitable type such as the Micromax manufactured by the Leeds & Northrup Company.
  • This instrument is a potentiometer type of instrument which is adjusted in response to the temperature affecting the thermocouple 87.
  • the instrument 88 is connected to another instrument 89 so as to impress a signal thereon and this instrument is an electronic type of instrument, preferably one embodying a thyratron, which controls the power supplied to the winding 86 of transformer 85.
  • the instrument 89 may preferably be the Reactrol control manufactured by General Electric Company.
  • the energization of winding 86 is controlled in response to the temperature affecting thermocouple 87 and in turn the power in winding 84 is controlled proportionately so that the energy supplied to the heaters 52 is controlled by thermocouple 87 in a manner to maintain a constant temperature within the portion 42 of casting 40.
  • the voltage which is impressed on electrode 53 is supplied from a regulated kv. supply V1 indicated diagrammatically at 93, the positive terminal of this supply being connected to ground as shown.
  • the potential impressed on electrode 56 is supplied from the supply 93 and a second 15 kV. supply V2 so that the voltage on electrode 56 is KV.
  • Connected between the supplies 93 and 94 are two transformers 95 and 96, that is, the primary windings 97 and 98 of these transformers are connected between the supplies 93 and 94 and these windings are connected in opposition so that there is no resultant current flow in the circuit resulting from the transformers.
  • the transformers have other windings 99 and 100 which are connected in parallel as shown and to a primary winding 101 of a transformer 102 having a secondary winding 103,
  • the winding 103 is connected to an auto-transformer 105 and to the primary winding 106 of a transformer forming part of a conventional D. C. power supply 107.
  • the power supplied to the auto-transformer 105 is from a regulated volt source and this source supplies power directly to the primary winding 109 of a transformer forming part of a second conventional D. C. power supply 110.
  • the outputs of the power supplies 107 and 110 pass through conventional filtering arrangements and these outputs are connected in opposition by means of voltage dividers 111, 112, and 113 so that the difierence between the amount of the outputs of the two power supplies is impressed across a voltage divider 114, the slider of which connects to the grid of a control tube 115.
  • the positive voltage output of power supply 107 is connected to ground at 130, and that the center taps (the negative sides) of both the power supplies 107 and 110 are connected together and to a point 131 on the voltage divider comprised of the adjustable resistances 111, 112, 114, and 113 which are connected from the positive voltage output 132 of the power supply 110 to the ground connection 130.
  • the opposed voltage outputs of power supplies 107 and 110 may be balanced to obtain a desired negative potential with respect to ground at the slider 133 of resistance 114 for predetermined input voltages to the primary 106 of power supply 107 and primary 109 of power supply 1110. Thereafter, should the voltage input to the primary 106 change, as will be described, the negative potential with respect to ground at the slider 133 will accordingly be changed in view of the opposed connection of the power supplies 107 and 110 as should be readily understood.
  • Power for the tube 115 is supplied from a conventional D. C. power supply designated by 116, the transformer of which is energized from the 110 volt source previously referred to.
  • the plate circuit of the control tube 115 controls the winding 117 of a relay 118 and the contacts of this relay control the supply of power from a transformer 119 to two auto-transformers 120 and 121 connected in parallel, these transformers being of the type known commercially as variacs.
  • the autotransformer 121 controls the supply of power to the heater 44 within casting 40 and the auto-transformer 120 controls the supply of power to the corresponding heater in the casting 41.
  • the slider of auto-transformer 121 connects by wire 125 to the electric heating element 14, the other end of this element being grounded by being connected to the casting 40 as described above.
  • One terminal of each of the auto-transformers is also grounded as shown on Fig. 3.
  • Heater 44 radiates directly on to the charge material in the bottle 43 so as to vaporize it and increase the amount of volatilization, and this increased amount of vapor will pass up into the portion 12 of casting 40 which will result in an increase in drain current flow in the circuit of electrode 56, which will in turn result in a signal being im ressed on the grid of tube 115 making the grid less positive so as to decrease the current flow through the control tube 115 and de-energize the relay 118 cutting off the power from the auto-transformers 120 and 121. This de-energizes the heaters 44.
  • the control arrangement operates in an on and oil manner to regulate the amount of volatilized material which passes up into the portion 42 of casting 40 to be ionized.
  • the voltage impressed on the grid of tube 115 may be manually adjusted by adjusting the slider of voltage divider 114 and thus the control point of the circuit can be varied.
  • the voltage impressed on voltage divider 114 can be adjusted and thus in this manner the sensitivity of the control circuit may be suitably varied.
  • my circuit arrangement provides an effective means for controlling the volatilization of the charge material and that the arrangement is such that the control means does not produce a current flow in the circuit of electrode 56 and it does not affect the voltage regulation of the electrodes 56 or 58.
  • means comprising a pair of transformers having windings connected in opposition in circuit with the electrical element which it is desired to control from, means comprising two sources of rectified power supply having their outputs connected in opposition, means for impressing a signal on the input to one of said power supplies which is proportional to the current in said windings, and means comprising a controlling element responsive to the difference between the outputs of said power supplies which are connected in opposition.
  • means forming an ion source including a source of heat for vaporizing material to be ionized, an electrode adjacent said ion source, means for maintaining said electrode at a relatively high negative potential, and means responsive to current flow through said electrode for controlling said heat source, said last means comprising transformers having windings connected in opposition in circuit with said electrode, and means comprising an electronic device coupled to said transformers to receive therefrom a control impulse for controlling said heat source.
  • means forming an ion source including a source of heat for vaporizing material to be ionized, an electrode adjacent said ion source, means for maintaining said electrode at a relatively high negative potential, and means responsive to current flow through said electrode for controlling said heat source, said last means C0111- prising transformers having windings connected in opposition in circuit with said electrode, means comprising two sources of rectified power supply having their output connected in opposition, means for impressing a signal on the input to one of said power supplies which is proportional to the current in said windings, and means comprising a controlling element responsive to the difference between the outputs of said power supplies for controlling said heat source.
  • means comprising a pair of transformers having windings connected in. series opposition with each other and in circuit with the electrical element which it is desired to control from, and means comprising an electronic control circuit having said transformers coupled thereto whereby a control impulse from said transformers is impressed on said control circuit.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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Description

June 28, 1955 NE|| 2,712,074
7 ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT Filed Jan. 19 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.
2% t 15.1. BY Hu'gk 6.114322 A T TOENE Y June 28, G N
ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT Filed Jan.
2 Sheets+Sheet 2 YLD INVENTOR. Hugh 'AZ A T TO/TNE Y ions having different mass-energy properties.
2,712,074 Patented. June 2-8, 1955 ELECTRICAL CflNTRQL CERGUIT Hugh G. Neil, Gal: Ridge, Tenn, assignor, lay mesne assignments, to the Unit-ed Stat-es of America as represented by the United States Atomic Conn mission Application January 19, 1945, Serial No. 573:,615
5 Claims. (Ql. 25tl41.9)
The invention described herein is concerned with improvements in electrical control circuit arrangements particularly adaptable for use in isotope separating apparatus, that is, apparatus designed for the separation of The invention is particularly concerned with equipment wherein the ion source which forms part of the apparatus includes means for volatilizing a material to be ionized by the controlled application of heat to tie material.
Heretofore in equipment of this nature it has been the practice to volatilize the material to be ionized and V to maintain the material in a vapor state by the applicato proceed satisfactorily, it is necessary to accurately control the amount of vapor of the material which is present for ionization. in apparatus of the type referred to above, and as will be made clear in the specification hereinafter, an electrode is provided in a position adjacent the source of ions, and this electrode is maintained at a high negative potential for accelerating positive ions away from the ion source so that they can be formed into a beam and the isotopes thereof separated. Some of the ions are collected by the negative electrode and lose their charge so that a small drain current flows through the electrode, and the magnitude of this current is proportional to the amount of or the density of the vapor in the vicinity of the ionizing means. Prior to my invention, it has been recognized as being desirable to control the volatilization of the material to he ionized in response to the drain current just described. Heretofore desirable results have been obtained by controlling a so-called flash heater or radiant type heater in response to the drain current through the electrode just referred to, this heater being in a position to radiate heat directly on to the charge of material to be volatilized so that the response of the heater to changes in drain current would be quick. The object of my invention is to provide an improved control circuit arrangement for controlling the volatilization of the charge material in response to the drain current, the control arrangement being such as to not cause interference with the voltage regulation of the accelerating electrode, which, in apparatus of the type referred to, is maintained at a high constant negative potential.
The manner in which the object of my invention is achieved, and other objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an isotope separator of the type which employs an ion generator in which the control arrangement of my invention may be practiced.
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view of the control arrangement of my invention applied to the ion producing source which is used in the system of Fig. 1.
Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, there is shown diagrammatically an apparatus for isotope separation, the apparatus being of the type which includes ion generating means wherein a solid material is volatilized by the application of heat. My invention is particularly adapted to the control of the application of the heat for volatilizing the material, so as to desirably regulate the amount of vapor present for ionization. The apparatus of Fig. 1 is of the type disclosed in greater detail in the application of Ernest 0. Lawrence, Ser. No. 557,784, filed October 9, 1944. The apparatus of Fig. 1 includes a tank 10, the interior of which is evacuated to a relatively high degree of vacuum as will be presently described. The tank It) is rectangular in cross section and one side is closed by a relatively heavy face plate 11 which is attachable to the tank by means of screw clamps 12 and 13, there being provided suitable bearing surfaces on face plate 11 and on the tank 19 so that when the face plate 11 is clamped into position, the tank 10 is attached to and carried by the face plate 11 as will be presently explained.
The tank It) has windows 14, l5, l6 and 17 so as to make it possible to watch operations within the tank, and it has a large discharge outlet 29 through which the air and moisture within the tank are evacuated. The discharge outlet 26 is connected to a diffusion pump or pumps 21 by pipe 22 and the diffusion pump is connected to a mechanical pump or pumps 23 by pipe 24. The mechanical pump 23 may be a Kinney pump for example. This pump is of the rotary type.
The tank 10 is disposed between laminated iron cores or poles 27 as shown in cross section in Fig. 2 and wound around these pole pieces are electrical windings 28, the windings being disposed within tanks or housings 29, the housings 2% being shown in cross section in Fig. 1. The windings 23 are energized with electric current so that a relatively intense magnetic field is produced which is in a direction transverse to the tank 10, that is, a horizontal direction looking at Fig. 2 and in a direction perpendicular to the paper looking at Fig. 1. A cooling medium such as cooled oil or the like is circulated through the housings 29 for the purpose of cooling the coils therein.
Within the tank it} is a liner structure 35 in the form of an arcuate conduit which forms a passageway for a beam or beams of ions generated at the lower end of the liner and received in a receiver at the upper end of the liner. The liner 35 is carried by the face plate lit by means of supporting structure designated by the numerals 36 and 37 and the brace member indicated by 38 and is supported from insulators 32, 33, and 34. Within the lower right hand corner of the tank 10 there are a pair of castings 4t) and 41 which form containers within which a material to be ionized is volatilized. These castings are suitably supported within the tank and since they are identical and the structure and controls associated with each one are identical, only one will be described in detail. My invention is particularly concerned with the manner of control of the volatilizing of the material within the containers 4% and 4 the automatic control apparatus for the heaters associated with the containers 4t and 4f. is shown in detail in Fig. 3.
The casting 41) comprises a lower portion 31 and a smaller upper portion 42, the two portions being connected by a converging throat as shown. Within the portion 31 is a container or bottle 43 which is removable and in which the charge material itself is placed, that is, the charge of material to be ionized. Within the bottle 43 is a flash or radiant type heater 44 which may be the well known Calrod type of heater consisting of an elec- 0 trical resistance element wound upon a suitable insulating member. One end of the heating element is connected to a source of power and the other end is grounded as will be described, by being connected to the casting 40 or the like. The vaporized material passes from portion 31 into portion 42 through a chimney 45, the vaporized material passing up and over a baflle member 46 adjacent the entrance end of the chimney 45. At the left end of the portion 42, there is a longitudinal slit 50 through which the vaporized material passes. Disposed at one end of this slit is a cathode 51, as shown in Fig. 3, across the terminals of which a suitable voltage is impressed when the apparatus is in operation. The function of the cathode 51 in operation is to emit a stream of electrons into and along the slit 50 for the purpose of ionizing the vapor passing therethrough as will be presently described. Numeral 52 designates electric heating elements associated with the portion 42 and to which electrical energy is supplied as will be described in connection with Fig. 3, one end of the heating elements being grounded by being connected to the casting 40 for example. Numeral 53 designates a well in a sidewall of the portion 42 in which a thermocouple is located, the thermocouple being for the purpose of controlling the supply of heat to the heating elements.
To the left of the casting 40, that is above it, is a member 56 which may preferably be made of carbon and which has therein a slit parallel to the slit 50 so that the vapor emitted through the slit 50 can also pass through the slit in 56. The electrode 56 constitutes an accelerating electrode for positive ions emerging from the slit 50 and this electrode is maintained at a relatively high negative potential as will presently be described.
The ions accelerated by the electrode 56 pass to the left, that is upwardly, through another slit in a member 57 forming a throat, and the slit in this throat is also in the form of an electrode 58 made of carbon and it is main tained at a relatively high negative potential somewhat lower than the potential of electrode 56. Positive ions after passing through the throat 57 pass into the liner structure 35 and then travel in arcs of a circle around through the liner to the receiving structure at the opposite end of the liner; the positive ions move in arcs of a circle in this manner under the influence of the magnetic field previously described and the radii of the arcs depends upon the mass-charge properties of the ions.
There are two identical receiving chambers at the upper end of the liner structure 35, one of them being designated by the numeral 60. The receiving chamber 60 is in the form of a box having a shape which in cross section is as shown in Fig. 1. The receiver 60 may be adjusted laterally relative to the face plate 11 by stem 61 operating through linkages 62, and it may be adjusted in and out relative to the face plate by means of stem 63, the stems passing through suitable sealing devices 64 and 65 respectively associated with the face plate 11. The receiver 60 has pockets 71 and 72 therein which are so located as to receive certain components of the beam of ions which travels around through the liner 35, different components of the beam, that is, particles having different mass-charge properties, travelling in circles of different radii as described above. Within the pockets 71 and 72 are electrodes 73 and 74 respectively which are maintained at a certain potential which will presently be referred to.
The face plate 11 is grounded as shown as are the castings 40 and 41, and the liner 35 and the electrode 58 forming part of throat 57 are maintained at a relatively high negative potential V1 by conductor 75 which is led into the interior of the tank through a conduit 76 which extends through the face plate through a sealing insulator bushing 77. The electrode 56 is maintained at a higher negative potential V1+Vz by means of a conductor 78 which is also led into the tank through the bushing 77 and the conduit 76. The electrodes 73 and 74 are maintained at the potential V1 by means of conductors 79, 80, and 81. The conductors leading to the electrodes in the receiver 60 extend through a conduit and bushing similar to those for the conductors 75 and 78 as shown. A potential V3 is across the terminals of the cathode 51 and a Volt- '4 age V4 is impressed between the negative terminal of cathode 51 and ground, that is the casting 40. This latter potential sustains the are which is struck within slit 50 during operation.
Summarizing the operation of the apparatus as so far described, the operation is that charge material in the bottle 43 is vaporized by the radiant heater 44 and the vapor passes up into the upper portion 42 of the casting where it is maintained in vapor state by the heating elements 52. The vapor passes up through the slit Where it is ionized by the stream of electrons from the cathode 51, an are being formed in the slit 50 under the influence of voltage V4. Positive ions are attracted from the region of the slit by electrode 56 which is maintained at a negative high potential, and under the influence of electrode 58, the ions pass into the liner structure 35 and thence travel in arcs of a circle around to the receiver 60, the radii of the arcs depending upon the mass-charge properties of the ionized particles. The receiver is adjusted as described so that the desired isotopes of the ionized material is received in the collector pockets.
With reference to the structure so far described, it will be understood that those elements which are maintained at high potentials are suitably insulated from other elements at lower or ground potential. Also various of the parts within the tank 10 may be cooled as desired by a suitable fluid cooling system and shielding may be provided at appropriate points to protect the mechanism from becoming coated as a result of being contacted by the vapor from the charge bottle and for protection from deterioration which may necessarily result from the process.
Referring now to Fig. 3 of the drawing, this figure shows the automatic controls for the heaters associated with the castings 40 and 41 whereby the volatilization of the material to be ionized is controlled. During the process some of the positive ions are collected by the electrode 56 and lose their charge so that there is a small current flow through the circuit of this electrode. In order that the process proceed desirably and efliciently, the quantity of vapor present for ionization must be accurately controlled and the amount of current in the circuit of electrode 56, that is, the drain current, is an accurate indication of the amount of vapor present for ionization. The objective of my invention as stated above is to provide an improved control circuit arrangement whereby the volatilization of the material to be ionized may be appropriately controlled in response to the drain current through the circuit of electrode 56. The details of this circuit will presently be described.
The heating elements 52 serve the purpose of maintaining the charge material in its vapor state in the portion 42 of casting 40, that is, they prevent the material from condensing within this portion. The heaters 52 as pointed out above are grounded at one end by being connected to the casting 40 and they are otherwise connected by a wire 83 to one winding 84 of a transformer 85 having another winding 86. The other terminal of the winding 84 is grounded as shown. The supply of power to the heaters 52 is controlled by a control system including a thermocouple 87 disposed in the well 53, which is connected to a control instrument 88 by leads as shown. The control instrument 88 is one of any suitable type such as the Micromax manufactured by the Leeds & Northrup Company. This instrument is a potentiometer type of instrument which is adjusted in response to the temperature affecting the thermocouple 87. The instrument 88 is connected to another instrument 89 so as to impress a signal thereon and this instrument is an electronic type of instrument, preferably one embodying a thyratron, which controls the power supplied to the winding 86 of transformer 85. The instrument 89 may preferably be the Reactrol control manufactured by General Electric Company. Thus, the energization of winding 86 is controlled in response to the temperature affecting thermocouple 87 and in turn the power in winding 84 is controlled proportionately so that the energy supplied to the heaters 52 is controlled by thermocouple 87 in a manner to maintain a constant temperature within the portion 42 of casting 40.
The voltage which is impressed on electrode 53 is supplied from a regulated kv. supply V1 indicated diagrammatically at 93, the positive terminal of this supply being connected to ground as shown. The potential impressed on electrode 56 is supplied from the supply 93 and a second 15 kV. supply V2 so that the voltage on electrode 56 is KV. Connected between the supplies 93 and 94 are two transformers 95 and 96, that is, the primary windings 97 and 98 of these transformers are connected between the supplies 93 and 94 and these windings are connected in opposition so that there is no resultant current flow in the circuit resulting from the transformers. The transformers have other windings 99 and 100 which are connected in parallel as shown and to a primary winding 101 of a transformer 102 having a secondary winding 103,
the primary winding 101 of this transformer being insulated for 50 kv. The winding 103 is connected to an auto-transformer 105 and to the primary winding 106 of a transformer forming part of a conventional D. C. power supply 107. The power supplied to the auto-transformer 105 is from a regulated volt source and this source supplies power directly to the primary winding 109 of a transformer forming part of a second conventional D. C. power supply 110. The outputs of the power supplies 107 and 110 pass through conventional filtering arrangements and these outputs are connected in opposition by means of voltage dividers 111, 112, and 113 so that the difierence between the amount of the outputs of the two power supplies is impressed across a voltage divider 114, the slider of which connects to the grid of a control tube 115. It should be noted that the positive voltage output of power supply 107 is connected to ground at 130, and that the center taps (the negative sides) of both the power supplies 107 and 110 are connected together and to a point 131 on the voltage divider comprised of the adjustable resistances 111, 112, 114, and 113 which are connected from the positive voltage output 132 of the power supply 110 to the ground connection 130. By suitably adjusting the resistances 111, 112, 114 and 113 the opposed voltage outputs of power supplies 107 and 110 may be balanced to obtain a desired negative potential with respect to ground at the slider 133 of resistance 114 for predetermined input voltages to the primary 106 of power supply 107 and primary 109 of power supply 1110. Thereafter, should the voltage input to the primary 106 change, as will be described, the negative potential with respect to ground at the slider 133 will accordingly be changed in view of the opposed connection of the power supplies 107 and 110 as should be readily understood. Power for the tube 115 is supplied from a conventional D. C. power supply designated by 116, the transformer of which is energized from the 110 volt source previously referred to. The plate circuit of the control tube 115 controls the winding 117 of a relay 118 and the contacts of this relay control the supply of power from a transformer 119 to two auto- transformers 120 and 121 connected in parallel, these transformers being of the type known commercially as variacs. The autotransformer 121 controls the supply of power to the heater 44 within casting 40 and the auto-transformer 120 controls the supply of power to the corresponding heater in the casting 41. The slider of auto-transformer 121 connects by wire 125 to the electric heating element 14, the other end of this element being grounded by being connected to the casting 40 as described above. One terminal of each of the auto-transformers is also grounded as shown on Fig. 3.
In the operation of the circuit arrangement of Fig. 3, there is a small current flow as described above through the circuit of electrode 56 and this current passes through the windings 97 and 98 of transformers 95 and 96 tending to saturate the cores of these transformers and thereby varying their impedance. The current in windings 99, 100 and 101 varies accordingly, and the result of this is a change in voltage drop across windings 103 and 106. The change in voltage across winding 106 varies the output of power supply 107 so that the output of this power supply which is opposed to power supply 110 is changed in proportion to the current in the circuit of electrode 56. The signal voltage which is impressed on the control grid of control tube 115, and which is dependent upon the difference between the outputs of power supplies 107 and 110, is therefore changed in proportion to the drain current in the circuit electrode 56. Upon a decrease in drain current from the electrode 56 due to a reduction in the amount of volatilized material there is a voltage change in the primary 106 changing the voltage output of power supply 107 and making the potential at the power supply at the slider 133 less negative and the grid of tube 115 more positive; the current flow through the control tube is increased so as to energize the winding 117 of relay 118 sufficiently to pull in the relay closing the circuit to the auto- transformers 120 and 121, and the auto-transformers then in turn energize the heaters 44. Heater 44 radiates directly on to the charge material in the bottle 43 so as to vaporize it and increase the amount of volatilization, and this increased amount of vapor will pass up into the portion 12 of casting 40 which will result in an increase in drain current flow in the circuit of electrode 56, which will in turn result in a signal being im ressed on the grid of tube 115 making the grid less positive so as to decrease the current flow through the control tube 115 and de-energize the relay 118 cutting off the power from the auto- transformers 120 and 121. This de-energizes the heaters 44. Thus the control arrangement operates in an on and oil manner to regulate the amount of volatilized material which passes up into the portion 42 of casting 40 to be ionized. The voltage impressed on the grid of tube 115 may be manually adjusted by adjusting the slider of voltage divider 114 and thus the control point of the circuit can be varied. By adjusting the voltage dividers 111, 112, and 113, the voltage impressed on voltage divider 114 can be adjusted and thus in this manner the sensitivity of the control circuit may be suitably varied.
From the foregoing it is to be seen that my circuit arrangement provides an effective means for controlling the volatilization of the charge material and that the arrangement is such that the control means does not produce a current flow in the circuit of electrode 56 and it does not affect the voltage regulation of the electrodes 56 or 58.
The embodiment disclosed herein is a preferred form of my invention and it is intended that it be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense. It is intended that the scope of the invention be determined only in accordance with the claims appended hereto.
I claim:
1. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means forming an ion source, an electrode adjacent said source, means for maintaining said electrode at a relatively high negative potential, and means responsive to current fiow through said electrode controlling said ion source, said last means comprising transformers having windings connected in opposition in circuit with said electrode, and means comprising an electronic device coupled to said transformers to receive therefrom a control impulse for controlling said ion source.
2. In an electrical control system wherein it is desired to control from an electrical element which is held at a relatively high constant voltage, in combination, means comprising a pair of transformers having windings connected in opposition in circuit with the electrical element which it is desired to control from, means comprising two sources of rectified power supply having their outputs connected in opposition, means for impressing a signal on the input to one of said power supplies which is proportional to the current in said windings, and means comprising a controlling element responsive to the difference between the outputs of said power supplies which are connected in opposition.
3. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means forming an ion source including a source of heat for vaporizing material to be ionized, an electrode adjacent said ion source, means for maintaining said electrode at a relatively high negative potential, and means responsive to current flow through said electrode for controlling said heat source, said last means comprising transformers having windings connected in opposition in circuit with said electrode, and means comprising an electronic device coupled to said transformers to receive therefrom a control impulse for controlling said heat source.
4. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means forming an ion source including a source of heat for vaporizing material to be ionized, an electrode adjacent said ion source, means for maintaining said electrode at a relatively high negative potential, and means responsive to current flow through said electrode for controlling said heat source, said last means C0111- prising transformers having windings connected in opposition in circuit with said electrode, means comprising two sources of rectified power supply having their output connected in opposition, means for impressing a signal on the input to one of said power supplies which is proportional to the current in said windings, and means comprising a controlling element responsive to the difference between the outputs of said power supplies for controlling said heat source.
5. In an electrical control system wherein it is desired to control from an electrical element which is held at a relatively high constant voltage, in combination, means comprising a pair of transformers having windings connected in. series opposition with each other and in circuit with the electrical element which it is desired to control from, and means comprising an electronic control circuit having said transformers coupled thereto whereby a control impulse from said transformers is impressed on said control circuit.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,406,328 Atherton Feb. 14, 1922 2,179,333 Horsley Nov. 7, 1939 2,221,467 Bleakney Nov. 12, 1940 2,227,353 Kuntke Dec. 31, 1940 2,319,378 Weisglass May 18, 1943
US573615A 1945-01-19 1945-01-19 Electrical control circuit Expired - Lifetime US2712074A (en)

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Cited By (1)

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US11017974B2 (en) 2016-11-11 2021-05-25 Nissin Ion Equipment Co., Ltd. Ion source

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US1406328A (en) * 1917-01-29 1922-02-14 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Temperature-regulating means for filamentary electrodes
US2179333A (en) * 1938-05-28 1939-11-07 Picker X Ray Corp Waite Mfg Voltage control means for x-ray apparatus
US2221467A (en) * 1938-12-27 1940-11-12 Research Corp Focusing and separation of charged particles
US2227353A (en) * 1938-01-27 1940-12-31 Hartford Nat Bank & Trust Co Voltage regulation
US2319378A (en) * 1941-10-09 1943-05-18 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Stabilizer system

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1406328A (en) * 1917-01-29 1922-02-14 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Temperature-regulating means for filamentary electrodes
US2227353A (en) * 1938-01-27 1940-12-31 Hartford Nat Bank & Trust Co Voltage regulation
US2179333A (en) * 1938-05-28 1939-11-07 Picker X Ray Corp Waite Mfg Voltage control means for x-ray apparatus
US2221467A (en) * 1938-12-27 1940-11-12 Research Corp Focusing and separation of charged particles
US2319378A (en) * 1941-10-09 1943-05-18 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Stabilizer system

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11017974B2 (en) 2016-11-11 2021-05-25 Nissin Ion Equipment Co., Ltd. Ion source

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