Fluid-cooling slow wave interaction structure for a traveling wave tube

Claim 2

A traveling wave tube having a vacuum envelope and disposed therein a helical slow wave structure formed of hollow tubing, wherein the improvement resides in structure for cooling said helix, comprising: an inlet fluid manifold; an outlet fluid manifold; inlet means for establishing fluid communication between said inlet fluid manifold and said helix at every turn of portions of said helix; outlet means for establishing fluid communication between said helix and said fluid manifold at every turn of said portions of said helix; whereby cooling fluid may be pumped into said inlet fluid manifold, thence to be divided by said inlet means to take a plurality of paths, a portion of said fluid flowing through each half turn of said portion of said helix, thence to be recombined by said outlet means in said outlet fluid manifold.

Claim 3

The tube defined in claim 1, wherein: said inlet means comprises a plurality of nonmetallic tubes extending between and communicating with said inlet manifold and said helix; and said outlet means comprises a plurality of nonmagnetic tubes extending between and communicating with said helix and said outlet manifold.

Claim 4

The tube defined in claim 2, wherein: a series of holes are formed through the wall of said helix tubing; the ends of said nonmagnetic tubes are tapered and fit into said holes in said helix tubing; an the junction between said nonmagnetic tubes and said helix tubing is brazed to form a high-pressure fluidtight seal and establish fluid communication between said tubes and said helix tubing.

Claim 5

The tube defined in claim 1, further comprising: a nonmagnetic metal sleeve disposed within said envelope and coaxially around said helix; a pair of divider means, a respective one of each disposed between and sealed to respective opposite sides of said sleeve and the interior wall of said envelope for supporting said sleeve within said envelope; wherein said inlet manifold and said outlet manifold are defined by respective sides of said divider means, the interior wall of said envelope and the exterior wall of said sleeve.

Claim 6

The tube defined in claim 4, wherein: said inlet means comprises a plurality of nonmetallic tubes, each connected at one end thereof to one side of said helix and communicating with the interior of said helix tubing, and connected at the other end thereof to the wall of said sleeve and communicating therethrough; and said outlet means comprises a plurality of nonmetallic tubes, each connected at one end thereof to the otherside of said helix and communicating with the interior of said helix tubing, and connection at the other end there to and communicating through the wall of said sleeve at a position diametrically opposed to said connection thereto of said inlet tubes.

Claim 7

The tube defined in claim 1, wherein: said inlet and outlet manifolds comprise a pair of nonmetallic pipes dispose longitudinally within said envelope parallel to and abutting said helix; said inlet means comprises means defining a first set of apertures through the wall of said helix tubing communicating with the interior thereof and means defining a set of apertures through the wall of said inlet manifold pipe, said helix apertures and said inlet manifold pipe apertures being aligned and forming a first set of conduits through which fluid may pass from said inlet manifold pipe to said helix tubing; said outlet means comprises means defining a second set of apertures through the wall of said helix tubing on the side of said helix diametrically opposed to said first set of apertures and communicating with the interior of said helix tubing, and means defining a set of apertures through the wall of said outlet manifold pipe, said apertures in said second set and said outlet manifold pipe apertures being aligned and forming a second set of conduits through which fluid may pass from said helix to said outlet manifold pipe.