Thrust Bearing Fluid Control via Segmented Disc Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bearing designs for drilling motors face challenges in balancing cooling and erosion, with inadequate cooling leading to premature failure and excessive fluid flow causing erosion, particularly in thrust bearing components.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a bearing assembly with a rotating disc and a fixed disc, featuring wear-resistant surfaces with inserts, and includes fluid control features such as lips, grooves, blade protrusions, chamfers, and varying geometries to optimize fluid flow and minimize recirculation, thereby enhancing cooling and reducing erosion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fluid flow through bearing surfaces is increased to improve cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but erosion on bearing surfaces increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing assembly incorporates multiple bearing stages with different geometries and configurations, where each stage is optimized for its specific function. Some stages are designed to handle cooling requirements while others minimize erosion, allowing different parts of the system to have different properties tailored to their specific needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing system is divided into multiple discrete bearing stages stacked in series, with each stage being an independent unit that can be individually designed and optimized. This segmentation allows the system to distribute fluid flow across multiple stages, reducing the flow rate and erosive impact on each individual stage while maintaining overall cooling effectiveness.
2Volume of moving object
If bearing stages are positioned in series to fit within tubular body confines, then space utilization is improved, but load distribution among stages becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing stages are designed with different geometries and configurations rather than being identical. This asymmetry in design allows each stage to have different load-bearing characteristics, enabling more uniform load distribution across the series arrangement while maintaining compact space utilization within the tubular body.
Solution Approach 2:
The design varies key parameters such as bearing stage diameter, length, and geometric features across the series arrangement. By changing these parameters from stage to stage, the system achieves both compact packaging within the tubular body and more balanced load distribution, as each stage is optimized for its specific position and loading conditions.
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 optimized fluid flow design effectively cools the bearing components, reducing the risk of premature failure by balancing fluid flow and erosion, extending the operational life of thrust bearing assemblies.
Implementation Method 1
Inadequate cooling may cause the bearing to premature fail
Implementation Method 2
erosion on the bearing surfaces has been observed
Data Source
AI summary
A bearing assembly comprising a frame; a rotating disc disposed in the frame, the rotating disc comprising a first set of inserts; and a fixed disc disposed in the frame, the fixed disc comprising a second set of inserts, the second set of inserts configured to interact with the first set of inserts, and a lip disposed adjacent the second set of inserts. Also, a bearing assembly comprising a frame; a rotating disc disposed in the frame, the rotating disc comprising a first set of inserts and at least one groove disposed axially above at least one of the inserts; and a fixed disc disposed in the frame, the fixed disc comprising a second set of inserts, the second set of inserts configured to interact with the first set of inserts.