Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods that employ a pump to assist or support blood flow. An apparatus for pumping blood may include a pump housing having an outer wall disposed about a longitudinal pump axis, and having an upstream end and a downstream end; a blood flow straightener having a plurality of fins and positioned in the upstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of fins; a diffuser having a plurality of diffuser fins and positioned in the downstream end of the pump housing and secured to the pump housing by the plurality of diffuser fins; and an impeller positioned between the blood flow straightener and the diffuser, and including a plurality of impeller blades. The apparatus may further include a pump drive configured to impart a rotational motion to the impeller by applying a magnetic field.

The bearing component comprises an external cylindrical member having an outer bearing surface and an inner cavity, and internal cylindrical member, arranged in the inner cavity of the external cylindrical member and substantially coaxial thereto. The external cylindrical member and the internal cylindrical member form a gap therebetween. A resilient damping feature is arranged in the gap.

A fluid pump for conveying a fluid is provided comprising: a housing with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a rotor which is disposed rotatably about an axis of rotation in the housing, and a rotor body and at least one conveying element connected rigidly to the rotor body in order to convey the fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the rotor being mounted in the housing radially to the axis of rotation by means of a passive magnetic bearing and also axially and radially by means of a mechanical and/or hydrodynamic bearing disposed on the inlet side or outlet side. A safety bearing is disposed on one side of the rotor situated opposite the mechanical and/or hydrodynamic bearing, wherein the safety bearing has a first safety bearing component connected rigidly to the rotor and a second safety bearing component connected rigidly to the housing.

A press-fit thrust bearing system and apparatus. A press-fit thrust bearing for an electric submersible pump includes a protruding band extending around a midsection of a bushing, the protruding band extending inward towards a drive shaft, outward towards a diffuser, or both. When extending outwardly, the band is press-fit into the diffuser to prevent dislodgment of the bushing. A non-rotating guide sleeve extends around the bushing above the protruding band, the guide sleeve interlocking with the protruding band to prevent rotation of the bushing. The guide sleeve includes a projection, the protruding band has a channel and the projection mates with the channel to form the interlock. A pair of flanged, rotatable bearing sleeves extend inwards of the single bushing and are keyed to the drive shaft. The top and bottom faces of the bushing serve as thrust handling surfaces.

A pump is provided with a housing and with an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet and a fluid channel with a channel axis, said fluid channel being arranged between the inlet and outlet. A rotor which can be brought into rotation by way of a motor is arranged within the fluid channel. Furthermore, a sensor arrangement is provided which can detect an inclination of the rotation axis of the rotor.

An electric submersible pump system can include a shaft; at least one impeller operatively coupled to the shaft; and a bearing assembly that rotatably supports the shaft, where at least one component of the electric submersible pump includes a volumetric composite material that includes polycrystalline diamond material and at least one metallic material.

A vertical rotating system that includes a first vertical shaft that rotates. The first vertical shaft is oriented such that the gravitational force is substantially parallel to the first vertical shaft. A radial bearing extends about a first portion of the first vertical shaft. A first impeller sectioned couples to the first vertical shaft and rotates in a first direction to pump a first fluid. A first stator surrounds the first vertical shaft. The first stator defines a first groove that extends about a second portion of the first vertical shaft. The first groove receives a second fluid. A pressure of the second fluid drives the first vertical shaft away from the first groove.

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.

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.

Molten metal transfer pump, in which a shaft (4) with the impeller (5) mounted on the shaft (4) is installed on the upper bearing (2) and the lower journal plain bearing (3). The lower journal plain bearing (3) has rotor (15) and stator (16) parts. The rotor part (15) is made in the form of two split bushings (17) mounted on the shaft (4), and the stator part (16) is made in the form of two split bushings (18) fixed in the cage (19) in axial alignment with the shaft (4). Bushings (17) (18) are fixed correspondingly with flat rings (24) (33) and composed of cylinder segments (20), (28) equidistantly placed in a circumferential direction, located correspondingly in the cylindrical groove (21) on the shaft and cylindrical groove (29) of the cage (19) and fixed with cone hold-down rings (22), (30) radially, and with spring rings (23), (31) axially.