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Radiography in Modern Industry - Kodak

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makes it a very suitable material for the target of an x-ray tube. In addition, the efficiency of thetarget material <strong>in</strong> the production of x-rays is proportional to its atomic number.1 S<strong>in</strong>ce tungstenhas a high atomic number, it has a double advantage. The targets of practically all <strong>in</strong>dustrial x-raymach<strong>in</strong>es are made of tungsten.Cool<strong>in</strong>gCirculation of oil <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>terior of the anode is an effective method of carry<strong>in</strong>g away the heat.Where this method is not employed, the use of copper for the ma<strong>in</strong> body of the anode provideshigh heat conductivity, and radiat<strong>in</strong>g f<strong>in</strong>s on the end of the anode outside the tube transfer theheat to the surround<strong>in</strong>g medium. The focal spot should be as small as conditions permit, <strong>in</strong> orderto secure the sharpest possible def<strong>in</strong>ition <strong>in</strong> the radiographic image. However, the smaller thefocal spot, the less energy it will withstand without damage. Manufacturers of x-ray tubes furnishdata <strong>in</strong> the form of charts <strong>in</strong>dicat<strong>in</strong>g the kilovoltages and milliamperages that may be safelyapplied at various exposure times. The life of any tube will be shortened considerably if it is notalways operated with<strong>in</strong> the rated capacity.Focal-Spot SizeThe pr<strong>in</strong>ciple of the l<strong>in</strong>e focus is used to provide a focal spot of small effective size, though theactual focal area on the anode face may be fairly large, as illustrated figure 5. By mak<strong>in</strong>g theangle between the anode face and the central ray small, usually 20 degrees, the effective area ofthe spot is only a fraction of its actual area. With the focal area <strong>in</strong> the form of a long rectangle, theprojected area <strong>in</strong> the direction of the central ray is square.Figure 5: Diagram of a l<strong>in</strong>e-focus tube depict<strong>in</strong>g the relation between actual focal-spotarea (area of bombardment) and effective focal spot, as projected from a 20° anode.Effects of KilovoltageAs will be seen later, different voltages are applied to the x-ray tube to meet the demands ofvarious classes of radiographic work. The higher the voltage, the greater the speed of theelectrons strik<strong>in</strong>g the focal spot. The result is a decrease <strong>in</strong> the wavelength of the x-rays emittedand an <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> their penetrat<strong>in</strong>g power and <strong>in</strong>tensity. It is to be noted that x-rays produced, forexample, at 200 kilovolts conta<strong>in</strong> all the wavelengths that would be produced at 100 kilovolts, andwith greater <strong>in</strong>tensity. In addition, the 200-kilovolt x-rays <strong>in</strong>clude some shorter wavelengths thatdo not exist <strong>in</strong> the 100-kilovoIt spectrum at all. The higher voltage x-rays are used for thepenetration of thicker and heavier materials.Most x-ray generat<strong>in</strong>g apparatus consists of a filament supply and a high-voltage supply.<strong>Radiography</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Modern</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> 11

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