A rocket engine propulsion system having improved engine performance is described herein. The rocket engine propulsion system includes an axial counterbalance to reduce or eliminate axial thrust exerted on components of a turbopump. The axial counterbalance can allow for a larger range of axial thrust forces while coupling this ability to a rotational speed (e.g., rotations per minute, or RPM) of a shaft. The axial counterbalance includes a protrusion on that extends circumferentially around a shaft that mates with a protrusion on a swing arm. The swing arm is rotatably attached to a bracket which is constrained by a static support.

A multistage pump with axial thrust optimization is disclosed includes a pump discharge nozzle and a bypass system coupled to the pump discharge nozzle. The bypass system includes a throttle valve operatively coupled to the pump discharge nozzle, and a bypass line provided at the multistage pump. The bypass line is conducts flow from the throttle valve to a clearance gap of an axial thrust balancing arrangement. The throttle valve may be actuated to adjust a balancing flow through the bypass line such that pressure at the clearance gap is adjusted to increase and decrease fluid pressure at the clearance gap to balance axial thrust at different operating states of the multistage pump.

A multi-stage centrifugal pump includes a pump casing, in which a shaft (8) carrying an impeller is rotatably arranged. The pump casing has a pump casing foot part (2) that includes a reversibly closable maintenance opening (60), via which a bearing and/or seal (20, 25), which is arranged at a shaft end within the pump casing, is accessible and exchangeable.

A process fluid lubricated pump includes a pump having a pump shaft extending from a drive end to a non-drive end to rotate about an axial direction, a first pump section having a first set of impellers fixedly mounted on the pump shaft to increase the pressure of the process fluid, a drive to exert a torque on the drive end of the pump shaft to drive the rotation of the pump shaft, a first balance drum fixedly connected to the pump shaft between the pump and the drive end of the pump shaft, the first balance drum defining a first front side facing the pump and a first back side, and a second balance drum fixedly connected to the pump shaft between the pump and the non-drive end of the pump shaft, the second balance drum defining a second front side facing the pump and a second back side.

A rotary pump includes a balance drum connected to a pump shaft between a hydraulic unit and the pump shaft, an axial relief passage between a balance drum and a stationary part stationary relative to a pump housing, and a balancing device arranged between the balance drum and the hydraulic unit, the balancing device including a ring-shaped rotary part connected to the pump shaft, and a ring-shaped non-rotary part movable only in the axial direction, the rotary part having an axial face facing the hydraulic unit, the rotary part and the non-rotary part overlap in a radial direction, which is perpendicular to the axial direction, and the non-rotary part movable in the axial direction such that a radial relief passage is open during operation of the pump, with the radial relief passage extending in the radial direction between the rotary part and the non-rotary part.

A first fluid rotor that has a first fluid intake end and a first fluid discharge end. A second fluid rotor that has a second fluid intake end and a second fluid discharge end. The second fluid rotor is rotatably coupled to the first fluid rotor to rotate in unison with the first fluid rotor along a shared rotational axis. The first fluid intake end and the second fluid intake end are facing opposite directions. A first fluid stator surrounds the first fluid rotor. The first fluid rotor and the first fluid stator form a first fluid stage. The second fluid stator is aligned along the rotational axis. The second fluid stator and the second fluid rotor form a second fluid stage. A flow crossover sub is positioned between the first fluid stage and the second fluid stage.

A process fluid lubricated pump includes a pump having a pump shaft extending from a drive end to a non-drive end, first and last stage impellers, a drive unit exerting torque on the drive end to rotate the pump shaft, a balance drum connected to the pump shaft between the pump and the drive end, the balance drum defining a drum front side facing the pump and a drum back side, a relief passage between the balance drum and a first stationary part configured to be stationary with respect to a housing, the relief passage extending from the drum front side to the drum back side, the pump shaft radially supported in a non-contacting manner during operation of the pump, and a hydrodynamic radial pump bearing supporting the pump shaft, the radial pump bearing arranged at the non-drive end or at the drive end of the pump shaft.

A centrifugal pump for conveying a fluid includes a pump housing, an impeller to convey the fluid from an inlet to an outlet, a shaft to rotate the impeller, a first sealing device to seal the shaft at a suction side, a second sealing device to seal the shaft at a discharge side, a balance drum connected to the shaft between the impeller and the second sealing device, the balance drum defining a front side facing the at least one impeller and a back side facing the second sealing device, a relief passage between the balance drum and a stationary part, a balance line connecting the back side with the suction side, a discharge opening arranged at the relief passage between the front side and the back side, and a connecting line connecting the discharge opening with the first sealing device.

A vertical pump features a shaft having an end with an impeller arranged thereon and rotates about an axis; a stationary bushing having an axial bushing surface, a radial bushing surface, and a central bushing bore; and a thrust balance drum that includes a central balancing drum bore to receive the shaft, that couples to the shaft so as to rotate about the axis, that includes an axial balance drum surface and a radial balance drum surface, and that is arranged in the central bushing bore of the stationary bushing with the axial balance drum surface positioned with respect to the axial bushing surface to define an axial clearance, and with the radial balance drum surface positioned with respect to the radial bushing surface to define a radial clearance. In operation, the thrust balance drum balances thrust loads produced by the impeller.

A pump includes a lifting device, a housing in which a shaft is arranged, a relief element connected to the shaft, and a contact element. The lifting device includes a spring and a thrust element. In a start-up or shut-down state, a spring force is transmitted to the shaft via the thrust element by the spring, separating the relief element and the counter element. The contact element is between the spring and the thrust element and a side of the thrust element facing the spring is flow-connected to a high-pressure side, and a side of the contact element facing the spring is flow-connected to a low-pressure side such that the thrust element and the contact element are spaced apart by a pressure difference generated between the side of the contact element facing the spring and the side of the contact element facing the thrust element.