Centering Coupling for Splined Shaft Submersible Pumps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing square tooth spline couplings in submersible pumping systems face challenges in alignment without reducing clearance or forcing fittings together, making assembly and disassembly difficult.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating centering guides and alignment elements with conical profiles in the splined shaft coupling assembly, allowing for dynamic alignment and easy assembly/disassembly of motor and driven shafts without reducing clearance, using tapered centering guides and profiles to maintain coaxial alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If square tooth spline couplings are used without centering guides, then the structure is simpler, but alignment between motor shaft and driven shaft deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces centering guides as intermediary elements between the motor shaft and driven shaft. These guides protrude from the coupling body and engage with corresponding recesses in the shafts, acting as mediators that establish and maintain precise coaxial alignment without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or forcing the fittings together.
2Manufacturing precision
If clearance between square tooth splines is reduced to improve alignment, then alignment precision improves, but ease of assembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The centering guides serve as intermediary alignment elements that maintain standard clearance dimensions between splines while ensuring precise coaxial alignment. The guides protrude into recesses in the shafts, providing mechanical guidance that eliminates the need to reduce clearance or force fittings together, thereby maintaining ease of assembly.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If square tooth spline couplings are used without centering guides, then the device complexity is lower, but vibration increases during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The centering guides act as intermediary elements that maintain stable coaxial alignment between rotating shafts. By engaging the guides with recesses in the shafts, the coupling ensures consistent centering during rotation, thereby reducing vibration and improving operational stability without requiring complex balancing or damping mechanisms.
4Ease of operation
If clearance is not reduced and no forcing together is applied, then ease of assembly improves, but alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The centering guides serve as intermediary alignment features that work with standard clearance dimensions. The guides protrude from the coupling body and engage with recesses in the shafts, providing positive mechanical guidance that ensures precise coaxial alignment while allowing standard assembly clearances to be maintained, thus achieving both ease of assembly and high alignment precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A submersible pumping system, electrical submersible pump, and method of providing enhanced alignment of motor and driven shafts of submersible pumping systems and electrical submersible pumps, are provided. An example of an electrical submersible pump system includes a pump, a pump motor, and a seal section. The motor drives the pump via motor and driven shafts rotatingly coupled with a coupling assembly. The coupling assembly maintains the shaft ends in coaxial alignment with an alignment device. The alignment device is profiled on opposite ends for mating engagement with the centering guides extending from the shaft ends.