Self-Aligning Thrust Bearing for Centrifugal Pump Shaft Deflection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal pump assemblies face alignment inaccuracies and increased frictional losses due to deflections or deformations of the shaft, leading to wear issues, especially when the thrust bearing is arranged in the middle region of the shaft.
Innovation Solution
A self-aligning thrust bearing design is implemented, where both the rotating and stationary bearing parts are capable of aligning themselves to maintain parallel contact, preventing wobbling and ensuring reliable operation even with position errors or shaft deflections. This design includes a rotating bearing part with a spherical contact surface and a conical counter-contact surface, allowing pivoting about two axes orthogonal to the rotation axis, and is lubricated by the fluid being pumped, particularly in the region of highest pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the thrust bearing is arranged in the middle region of the shaft, then it can accommodate axial forces effectively, but alignment inaccuracies occur due to shaft deflections leading to increased friction and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs spherical contact surfaces on the bearing parts that enable self-alignment through geometric curvature. The spherical geometry allows the bearing surfaces to automatically orient themselves parallel to each other despite shaft deflections, eliminating misalignment-induced friction and wear while maintaining effective axial force accommodation in the middle shaft region.
2Reliability
If the thrust bearing is arranged in the middle region of the shaft, then it can accommodate axial forces effectively, but alignment inaccuracies occur due to shaft deflections leading to increased wear
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical contact surfaces enable the bearing parts to self-align automatically, preventing misalignment-induced wobbling and excessive wear. This geometric solution extends bearing service life by ensuring consistent parallel contact between bearing surfaces even when the thrust bearing is positioned in the middle shaft region where shaft deflections occur.
3Reliability
If both bearing parts are designed self-aligning, then reliable mounting is possible with position errors, but the design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-alignment through relatively simple spherical contact geometries on both bearing parts. This approach achieves reliable mounting despite position errors and shaft deflections without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms, maintaining manufacturing feasibility while improving mounting tolerance robustness.
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 self-aligning thrust bearing design reduces frictional losses and wear, ensuring low-friction and low-wear operation, particularly in the middle region of the shaft, and maintains reliable lubrication by ensuring the fluid remains in a liquid state, preventing evaporation and ensuring effective lubrication.
Implementation Method 1
a rotating bearing part with a spherical contact surface and a conical counter-contact surface, allowing pivoting about two axes orthogonal to the rotation axis
Implementation Method 2
This design includes a rotating bearing part with a spherical contact surface and a conical counter-contact surface, allowing pivoting about two axes orthogonal to the rotation axis, and is lubricated by the fluid being pumped
Data Source
AI summary
A centrifugal pump assembly with at least one impeller (8) and with a thrust bearing (44) which includes a rotating (50) and a stationary (48) bearing part. The rotating (50) as well as the stationary (48) bearing part are designed in a self-aligning manner.