Recirculating Process-Fluid Bearing Assembly for Pump Thrust Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thrust bearings in horizontal surface pumps suffer from rapid wear due to high rotational speeds and loads, contamination, and oil deterioration, leading to frequent failures and high maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing bearing assemblies with superhard materials and a recirculation system that uses process fluid for cooling, lubrication, and flushing, combining thrust and intake functions, reducing the need for regular oil checks and extending bearing life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional roller element bearings are used in horizontal surface pumps, then the pump can operate with standard bearing components, but the bearings wear out quickly due to high rotational speeds and loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a porous substrate material with a superhard material coating to create bearing elements that withstand high rotational speeds and loads. The porous substrate provides structural support while the superhard coating resists wear, solving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and bearing life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters of the bearing elements by using superhard materials with exceptional hardness and wear resistance properties. This parameter change enables the bearings to operate reliably under high-speed and high-load conditions without premature wear.
2Reliability
If conventional hydrodynamic bearings are used in thrust chambers, then the bearings can support pump thrust, but the oil becomes contaminated and deteriorates leading to bearing failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful function of oil circulation from the bearing system by replacing hydrodynamic bearings with superhard material bearings that do not require oil for lubrication. This eliminates oil contamination and deterioration issues while maintaining thrust support capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the hydrodynamic lubrication mechanism with a solid superhard material bearing surface. This substitution eliminates the need for oil circulation and filtration systems, removing the source of contamination while preserving thrust support functionality.
3Reliability
If a standalone thrust chamber with oil-submerged bearings is used, then the bearings can carry pump thrust, but the entire thrust chamber must be replaced when bearings fail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thrust bearing function into replaceable superhard material bearing elements that can be independently replaced without replacing the entire thrust chamber. This modular approach maintains thrust support capability while reducing replacement complexity and cost.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional bearings are used in horizontal pumps, then the pump assembly can be assembled with standard components, but planned preventative maintenance is required which reduces equipment uptime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials with extended service life to eliminate the need for planned preventative maintenance. The superhard material bearings operate reliably under high-speed and high-load conditions without degradation, allowing pumps to run continuously and reducing equipment downtime.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides extended bearing life, reduces maintenance costs, and enhances operational efficiency by utilizing process fluid for thermal regulation and lubrication, minimizing contamination risks and wear.
Implementation Method 1
a recirculation line that delivers another fluid into the bearing housing at a location separate from the fluid inlet, wherein the recirculation line is positioned to pass the fluid through the one or more bearing element
Implementation Method 2
recirculating fluid for lubrication and/or flushing of any solids around the bearing assembly
Implementation Method 3
The one or more bearing element may be configured to support the shaft in an axial and radial direction when the shaft is being operated by the motor
Data Source
AI summary
Bearing assemblies, apparatuses, systems, and methods include bearing assemblies having one or more bearing element in a bearing housing for supporting a shaft extending through at least a portion of the bearing housing. The bearing assembly including a recirculation line for delivering fluid into the bearing housing at a location separate from a fluid inlet of the bearing housing to at least partially thermally regulate, lubricate, and/or flush the one or more bearing elements during operation of the shaft.