Oil Field Pump Thrust Bearing Contamination Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Oil field pumps installed underground at remote locations face challenges with foreign matter contamination in the lubricating oil, leading to frequent maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a rotor and stator configuration with a thrust bearing and supply pipe system that utilizes extraction oil as lubrication, featuring a protrusion part and facing part with grooves to direct contaminants radially outward, reducing the risk of contamination and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If extraction oil is used to lubricate the bearing mechanism, then the need for separate lubrication systems is reduced, but foreign matter in the extraction oil may contaminate the bearing mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
A filter mechanism is introduced as an intermediary component between the extraction oil supply and the bearing mechanism. This filter removes foreign matter from the extraction oil before it reaches the bearing, allowing the use of extraction oil for lubrication while preventing contamination. The filter acts as a mediator that enables the beneficial reuse of extraction oil without transmitting its harmful contaminants to the bearing mechanism.
2Reliability
If supply lines for lubricating oil are installed across the entire area of the pipes, then the bearing mechanism can be adequately lubricated, but the device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lubrication system is merged with the existing extraction oil flow path. Instead of installing separate supply lines across the entire pipe area, the system utilizes the natural flow of extraction oil through the pump structure to deliver lubrication to the bearing mechanism. This integration combines the lubrication function with the existing oil circulation system, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining adequate lubrication reliability.
3Productivity
If the pump is installed at a remote underground location, then oil extraction can proceed, but access for maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing mechanism is designed with self-lubricating capabilities using the extraction oil that naturally flows through the pump. This self-service lubrication system reduces the frequency of maintenance interventions needed, allowing the pump to operate autonomously for extended periods at remote underground locations without requiring frequent human access for lubrication replenishment or bearing maintenance.
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
This configuration minimizes the need for frequent maintenance by effectively utilizing extraction oil for lubrication and directing contaminants away from critical components, enhancing the operational life of the pump.
Implementation Method 1
the protrusion part at the surface opposite the facing part moves to an outer side in a radial direction from an upstream side towards a downstream side in a rotational direction
Data Source
AI summary
An oil field pump installed within a pipe that connects to an oil field, feeds accumulated extraction oil in a predetermined direction and includes a rotor, a stator mounted on the outer circumference of the rotor, a flow path for flow of the extraction oil connecting an area formed within the rotor to an area formed between the rotor and the stator, a thrust bearing that supports the axial weight of the rotor and the stator, and a supply pipe that supplies a portion of the extraction oil in the flow path to the thrust bearing. The thrust bearing includes a protrusion part fixed to the outer circumference of the rotor and rotating as one piece with the rotor, and a facing part fixed to the stator and facing opposite a surface in the axial direction of the protrusion.