A turbomachine having a rotor that extends along a rotational axis and a radial bearing in which the rotor is radially mounted on a radial bearing point. In the axial region of the radial bearing point, the rotor has a hollow chamber annularly located in the circumferential direction in the region of the outer 20% of the diameter of the radial bearing point and which is thermally insulating between a radially inner core region of the rotor in the region of the radial bearing point and the radial outer region of the rotor in the region of the radial bearing point. A first shaft end of the rotor protrudes from the axial center of the radial bearing point by a projection over the radial bearing point, wherein a first quotient QLO of the projection OVH divided by the total length TLE of the rotor QLO=OVH/TLE>0.15.

A turbomachine having a rotor that extends along a rotational axis and a radial bearing in which the rotor is radially mounted on a radial bearing point. In the axial region of the radial bearing point, the rotor has a hollow chamber annularly located in the circumferential direction in the region of the outer 20% of the diameter of the radial bearing point and which is thermally insulating between a radially inner core region of the rotor in the region of the radial bearing point and the radial outer region of the rotor in the region of the radial bearing point. A first shaft end of the rotor protrudes from the axial center of the radial bearing point by a projection over the radial bearing point, wherein a first quotient QLO of the projection OVH divided by the total length TLE of the rotor QLO=OVH/TLE>0.15.

Various contactless bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. In one embodiment, a pump apparatus includes a pump housing defining a pumping chamber. The housing has a spindle extending into the pumping chamber. A spindle magnet assembly includes first and second magnets disposed within the spindle. The first and second magnets are arranged proximate each other with their respective magnetic vectors opposing each other. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.

Various contactless bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. In one embodiment, a pump apparatus includes a pump housing defining a pumping chamber. The housing has a spindle extending into the pumping chamber. A spindle magnet assembly includes first and second magnets disposed within the spindle. The first and second magnets are arranged proximate each other with their respective magnetic vectors opposing each other. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.

The present invention provides a rotary blood pump with both an attractive magnetic axial bearing and a hydrodynamic bearing. In one embodiment according to the present invention, a rotary pump includes an impeller assembly supported within a pump housing assembly by a magnetic axial bearing and a hydrodynamic bearing. The magnetic axial bearing includes at least two magnets oriented to attract each other. One magnet is positioned in the spindle of the pump housing while the other is disposed within the rotor assembly, proximate to the spindle. In this respect, the two magnets create an attractive axial force that at least partially maintains the relative axial position of the rotor assembly. The hydrodynamic bearing is formed between sloping surfaces that form tight clearances below the rotor assembly.

A submersible well pump assembly has a pump driven by an electrical motor. The motor has a number of rotor sections axially separated from each other by radial bearings. Each of the rotor sections has disks stacked together, each of the disks having a central opening and slots circumferentially spaced around the central opening. Metal rods extend through the slots. A center tube extends through the central openings of the disks. The center tube has an outer diameter in an interference fit with the disks. A slot and key arrangement between the inner diameter of the center tube and the motor shaft rotates the motor shaft in unison. The ends of the center tube extend past end rings of the rotor sections and abut with center tubes of adjacent rotor sections.

A pump bearing retainer (1), for a wet-running pump, includes a radially inner section (3) including an inner section surface (9) for a press-fit contact with an essentially cylinder-shaped radial outer surface (29) of a pump bearing (13). A radially outer section (7) includes an annular or essentially conical-shaped outer section surface (17) with a cone angle (.sub.1) equal to or larger than 45. An intermediate section (5) extends from the inner section (3) to the outer section (7). The intermediate section (5) includes an essentially conical-shaped intermediate section surface (15) with a cone angle (.sub.2) smaller than 45. A longitudinal cross-section area (A) of the inner section (3) is smaller than a longitudinal cross-section area (B) of the intermediate section (5).

A pump bearing retainer (1), for a wet-running pump, includes a radially inner section (3) including an inner section surface (9) for a press-fit contact with an essentially cylinder-shaped radial outer surface (29) of a pump bearing (13). A radially outer section (7) includes an annular or essentially conical-shaped outer section surface (17) with a cone angle (.sub.1) equal to or larger than 45. An intermediate section (5) extends from the inner section (3) to the outer section (7). The intermediate section (5) includes an essentially conical-shaped intermediate section surface (15) with a cone angle (.sub.2) smaller than 45. A longitudinal cross-section area (A) of the inner section (3) is smaller than a longitudinal cross-section area (B) of the intermediate section (5).

A centrifugal pump for conveying a process fluid, includes a pump unit, a drive unit to drive the pump unit, a pump inlet to receive the process fluid, a pump outlet to discharge the process fluid. The pump unit includes an impeller configured to convey the process fluid from the pump inlet to the pump outlet, and a pump shaft, on which the impeller is mounted. The drive unit includes a drive shaft to drive the pump shaft, and an electric motor to rotate the drive shaft about an axial direction. A plurality of bearings is configured to support the pump shaft and the drive shaft, and a hydrodynamic coupling has a casing and is configured to hydrodynamically couple the drive shaft to the pump shaft by a transmission fluid. At least one of the plurality of bearings is arranged in the casing of the hydrodynamic coupling.

A separator for reducing or eliminating the amount of suspending solids from a reservoir fluid of a downhole motor having a rotating seal. The cleaned fluid circulated past the seal and outermost bearing, the separator having a vortex, rotating cyclone or centrifuge, at least one inlet at least one outlet for cleaned fluid, at least one outlet for solid material, water, particulates or similar material separated from the cleaned fluid. The outlet for the clean fluid may include a porous filter.