SUBMERSIBLE ELECTRIC PUMP ROTOR ASSEMBLY WITH HYDRODYNAMIC BEARING

Claims

An example rotor assembly for a submersible electric pump may include a drive shaft, a bearing sleeve arranged concentrically around and rotationally fixed to the drive shaft, a bushing arranged concentrically around and configured to rotate relative to the bearing sleeve, and a thrust washer, or a component incorporating the thrust washer, surrounding the drive shaft. Concavities may be formed on an axial face of the bushing or on an axial face of the thrust washer. The axial face of the bushing may be positioned close to the axial face of the thrust washer. The concavities may be configured to influence the flow of lubricating fluid between the bushing and the thrust washer to create a hydrodynamic force against the bushing and thrust washer when the drive shaft rotates, thus preventing axial contact.