Load-sharing bearing system and an associated method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10801545-B2
Application number	US-201514730899-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2015
Priority date	Jun 4, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

A bearing system includes a stationary element, a housing, a shaft, a first and second thrust collars, a first and second bearing units, and a mechanical component. The housing includes a first end portion and a second end portion contacting the stationary element. The shaft and second thrust collar are disposed within the housing. The first and second thrust collars are spaced apart from each other and coupled to the shaft. The first bearing unit is disposed between the first thrust collar and a first side of second thrust collar. The first bearing unit contacts the first thrust collar and coupled to the first end portion. The second bearing unit is disposed between a second side of second thrust collar and second end portion. The second bearing unit contacts second thrust collar. The mechanical component extends along the shaft and contacts the second bearing unit and second end portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a stationary element, wherein the stationary element includes at least one projection;
a housing comprising a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the housing is configured to move in a first axial direction, and wherein the second end portion includes a flexible portion that deflects in a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction when the flexible portion contacts the at least one projection of the stationary element as the housing moves in the first axial direction;
a shaft disposed at least partially within the housing;
a first thrust collar and a second thrust collar axially spaced apart from each other and coupled to the shaft, wherein at least the second thrust collar is disposed within the housing;
a first bearing unit disposed between the first thrust collar and a first side of the second thrust collar, wherein the first bearing unit contacts the first thrust collar and is coupled to the first end portion;
a second bearing unit disposed between a second side opposite to the first side of the second thrust collar and the second end portion, wherein the second bearing unit contacts the second thrust collar; and
a mechanical component extending along the shaft and contacting the second bearing unit and the flexible portion of the second end portion, wherein the mechanical component is configured to move in the second axial direction in response to the deflection of the flexible portion in the second axial direction to bias the second bearing unit against the second thrust collar.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a third bearing unit disposed proximate to a first side of the first thrust collar, wherein the first bearing unit is disposed proximate to a second side opposite to the first side of the first thrust collar.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third bearing units, comprises a tilting pad thrust bearing.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third bearing units, comprises a fixed pad thrust bearing.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the stationary element comprises a plurality of projections.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the flexible portion of the second end portion comprises at least one flexible element.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the flexible portion includes a plurality of flexible elements and a plurality of slots, wherein each of the plurality of slots is located between a corresponding pair of the flexible elements.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical component comprises a first annular component and a second annular component coupled to the first annular component, wherein the first second annular component is disposed along the shaft.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first annular component is disposed within the housing and the second annular component is disposed along the shaft, extending between the second end portion of the housing and the stationary element.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a pump;
a motor; and
a seal unit disposed between and coupled to the pump and the motor; the seal unit comprising:
a casing; and
a system comprising:
a stationary element coupled to the casing, wherein the stationary element includes at least one projection;
a housing comprising a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the housing is configured to move in a first axial direction and wherein the second end portion includes a flexible portion that deflects in a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction when the flexible portion contacts the at least one projection of the stationary element as the housing moves in the first axial direction;
a shaft disposed at least partially within the housing;
a first thrust collar and a second thrust collar axially spaced apart from each other and coupled to the shaft, wherein at least the second thrust collar is disposed within the housing;
a first bearing unit disposed between the first thrust collar and a first side of the second thrust collar, wherein the first bearing unit contacts the first thrust collar and is coupled to the first end portion;
a second bearing unit disposed between a second side opposite to the first side of the second thrust collar and the second end portion, wherein the second bearing unit contacts the second thrust collar; and
a mechanical component extending along the shaft and contacting the second bearing unit and the flexible portion of the second end portion, wherein the mechanical component is configured to move in the second axial direction in response to the deflection of the flexible portion in the second axial direction to bias the second bearing unit against the second thrust collar.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a third bearing unit is coupled to the casing and disposed proximate to a first side of the first thrust collar, wherein the first bearing unit is disposed proximate to a second side opposite to the first side of the first thrust collar.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third bearing units, comprises a tilting pad thrust bearing.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third bearing units, comprises a fixed pad thrust bearing.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the stationary element comprises a plurality of projections.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the flexible portion of the second end portion comprises at least one flexible element.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the flexible portion includes a plurality of flexible elements and a plurality of slots, wherein each of the plurality of slots is located between a corresponding pair of the flexible elements.

17. A method comprising:
applying an axial thrust load on a shaft disposed at least partially within a housing, wherein the housing comprises a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the second end portion includes a flexible portion that is configured to contact a projection on a stationary element;
biasing a first thrust collar against a first bearing unit, wherein the first thrust collar is coupled to the shaft and the first bearing unit is coupled to the first end portion;
moving the housing via the first bearing unit in a first axial direction to force the flexible portion into contact with the projection of the stationary element;
bending at least one flexible element of the flexible portion in a second axial direction that is opposite to the first axial direction by pressing the flexible element into the projection of the stationary element;
pushing a mechanical component along the second axial direction via the at least one flexible element to bias a second bearing unit against a second thrust collar; and
distributing the axial thrust load between the first bearing unit and the second bearing unit.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising biasing the first thrust collar against a third bearing unit, wherein the third bearing unit is coupled to a casing and wherein the first bearing unit is disposed proximate to a second side opposite to a first side of the first thrust collar.

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Delgado Marquez Adolfo
• Van Dam Jeremy Daniel
• Sakamoto Stephen Masao
• Garcia Rene Jose

Classifications

• F16C2360/44

  Centrifugal pumps · CPC title

• F04D29/0413

  hydrostatic; hydrodynamic thrust bearings · CPC title

• F04D13/10

  adapted for use in mining bore holes · CPC title

• F16C17/047

  with fixed wedges to generate hydrodynamic pressure · CPC title

• F16C17/26 Primary

  Systems consisting of a plurality of sliding-contact bearings · CPC title