Thrust bearings for centrifugal pumps

Abstract

A bearing assembly for a centrifugal pump is configured to accommodate both forward and reverse axial thrust, and to be lubricated by process fluid. A pump incorporating a dual acting bearing assembly that is lubricated by process fluid and that is located between the final two impeller stages of the pump. A desalination system comprises a pump with an inlet for receiving seawater at a first end, an outlet for discharging high pressure seawater at a second end, one or more impellers coupled to a rotatable shaft between the first end and the second end for increasing a pressure of the seawater, and a bearing assembly lubricated by the seawater for absorbing axial thrust in both directions along the shaft.

Claims

1. A pump comprising: a casing having an inlet for receiving a fluid at a first end and an outlet for discharging the fluid at a second end at a higher pressure; a shaft within the casing rotatable about an axis and moveable along an axial direction; a plurality of impeller stages, each impeller stage comprising an impeller coupled to rotate with the shaft and a diffuser held stationary within the casing; a bearing assembly within the casing, the bearing assembly comprising: one or more annular elements coupled to rotate with the shaft, one or more bearing housings coupled to the casing: a plurality of first thrust pads coupled to one of the bearing housings and facing toward the first end of the casing positioned to bear against at least one of the one or more annular elements when the shaft moves along the axial direction from the first end toward the second end; a plurality of second thrust pads coupled to one of the bearing housings and facing toward the second end of the casing positioned to bear against at least one of the one or more annular elements when the shaft moves along the axial direction from the second end toward the first end; and, a plurality of ports through the one or more bearing housings providing flow paths for some of the fluid within the casing to pass through the one or more bearing housings and lubrication paths directing some of the fluid within the casing toward interfaces between the first thrust pads and the at least one of the one or more annular elements that bear against the first thrust pads and between the second thrust pads and the at least one of the one or more annular elements that bear against the second thrust pads.

2. The pump of claim 1 wherein: the one or more annular elements comprise a thrust collar coupled to rotate with the shaft; the one or more bearing housings are located between adjacent impeller stages of the pump, and comprise a first side towards the first end of the casing and a second side toward the second end of the pump casing, and define a central cavity for receiving the thrust collar; and, the plurality of ports comprise a plurality of flow ports arranged around a radial periphery of the central cavity, each of the flow ports providing communication of the fluid between the first side of the one or more bearing housings and the second side of the one or more bearing housings, and, a plurality of first side lubrication ports and second side lubrication ports each having an associated flow port, each first side lubrication port extending from the associated flow port toward the central cavity from the first side and each second side lubrication port extending from the associated flow port toward the central cavity from the second side.

3. The pump of claim 2 wherein the bearing assembly is symmetric about a plane of symmetry perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the thrust collar.

4. The pump of claim 2 wherein the first side and the second side of the one or more bearing housings are constructed in two separate portions.

5. The pump of claim 2 wherein one of the lubrication ports and an associated lubrication nozzle is located between each pair of adjacent thrust pads.

6. The pump of claim 2 wherein each of the flow ports has one of the first side lubrication ports extending from a first end thereof to the central cavity and one of the second side lubrication ports extending from a second end thereof to the central cavity.

7. The pump of claim 2 wherein the one or more bearing housings define an annular cavity positioned around the radial periphery of the central cavity, the annular cavity providing fluid communication between the plurality of flow ports and the central cavity.

8. The pump of claim 1 wherein the bearing assembly is positioned between a last impeller stage closest to the outlet and a next to last impeller stage.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) The following figures set forth embodiments in which like reference numerals denote like parts. Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the accompanying figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows an example of a desalination system with a high pressure pump and a reverse osmosis unit according to the prior art.

(3) FIG. 1A shows an example of desalination system with a high pressure pump and a reverse osmosis unit according to one embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example high pressure pump according to one embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 3 is an axial view of an example thrust bearing for the pump of FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) For simplicity and clarity of illustration, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the examples described herein. The examples may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the examples described. The description is not to be considered as limited to the scope of the examples described herein.

(8) FIG. 1A shows a desalination system 20 according to one embodiment of the invention. The desalination system 20 of FIG. 1A is similar to the prior art system 10 discussed above, except that the system 20 of FIG. 1A has a high pressure pump 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention which comprises a dual acting bearing assembly. A pressure bleed-off circuit 19 is thus not required in the system 20 of FIG. 1A.

(9) As described further below, the bearing assembly of the pump 100 is preferably lubricated by the process fluid (e.g. seawater) passing therethrough. By utilizing the process fluid to provide lubrication, the need for a separate lubricant such as oil or the like is avoided.

(10) FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a centrifugal pump 100 according to one embodiment. The pump 100 receives low pressure process fluid 101 at an inlet port at or near one end of a casing 109 and discharges high pressure process fluid 102 from a discharge port at or near the other end of the casing 109. A motor 104 rotates a shaft 106 running through the pump 100. A plurality of impeller stages 108 successively increase the pressure of the process fluid. Each impeller stage comprises an impeller coupled to be driven by the shaft 106, and a diffuser held stationary with respect to the casing 109. A thrust bearing assembly 110 is positioned between the final two impeller stages 108. Details of an example implementation of the thrust bearing assembly are discussed below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

(11) Thrust bearing assembly 110 is housed within a casing 109 of the pump, and located downstream from of a next to last impeller stage 108A and upstream from a last impeller stage 108B of the pump. Portions of a diffuser 108D and an impeller 1081 of each of the next to last and last impeller stages 108A and 108B are shown in FIG. 4. The bearing assembly 110 comprises a thrust collar 112 mounted on the shaft 106, and retained within a central cavity of a bearing housing 120. The bearing housing 120 is held stationary with respect to the casing 109, and may be sandwiched between the diffusers 108D of the next to last and last impeller stages 108A and 108B. In the illustrated embodiment, the bearing assembly 120 has a first side 120A and a second side 120B, which may be separate pieces.

(12) A plurality of flow ports 122 are formed in the bearing housing 120 around a radial periphery of the central cavity (i.e., the flow ports 122 are positioned around the outside of the bearing housing, between the central cavity and the casing 109). Each of the flow ports 122 provides a main flow path 124 to allow process fluid to pass through the bearing assembly 110. The combined cross-sectional area of the flow ports 122 is sufficient to permit process fluid to flow smoothly between the final two stages of the pump 100.

(13) An annular cavity 123 is also formed in the bearing housing 120. The annular cavity 123 is positioned around the radial periphery of the central cavity, and provides fluid communication between the flow ports 122 and the central cavity.

(14) Because the bearing assembly 110 is between the final two stages 108A and 108B of the pump 100, the pressure of the fluid in the flow ports 122 is relatively high during operation of the pump 100. This high pressure assists in maintaining a lubricating film for the bearing assembly 110, as discussed further below. Also, positioning the bearing assembly 110 between the final two stages 108A and 108B of the pump 100 facilitates installation and maintenance of the bearing assembly 110, since only the last impeller stage 108B would need to be removed or disassembled to access the bearing assembly 110.

(15) A plurality of first side lubrication ports 126A provide lubrication flow paths 128A for process fluid from the flow ports 122 to enter the central cavity from the first side. A plurality of second side lubrication ports 126B provide lubrication flow paths 128B for process fluid from the flow ports 122 to enter the central cavity from the second side. Process fluid also enters the central cavity from the annular cavity 123, as indicated by additional lubrication flow paths 129A and 129B. First and second side lubrication nozzles 130A and 1306 are provided on the first and second sides 120A and 1206 of the bearing housing 120 where the lubrication ports 126A and 1266 meet the central cavity.

(16) First and second side thrust pads 132A and 132B are provided on the first and second sides 120A and 1206 of the bearing housing 120 facing toward the central cavity. The thrust pads 132A and 132B preferably comprise a friction-reducing material, such as for example a polyether ether ketone (PEEK) polymer or the like. In some embodiments, the thrust pads 132A and 1326 may comprise solid blocks of a blend of bearing grade PEEK polymer, or other friction reducing material. In other embodiments, the thrust pads 132A and 1326 may comprise metallic bases with a layer of friction reducing material sintered or otherwise deposited on the faces of the thrust pads 132A and 132B facing toward the thrust collar 112.

(17) The spacing between the first side thrust pads 132A and the second side thrust pads 1326 is slightly larger than an axial thickness of the thrust collar 112, such that the pads 132A and 1326 constrain axial movement of the thrust collar 112 in either direction. Thus both active and reverse loading on the shaft 106 is accommodated.

(18) The lubrication nozzles 130A and 1306 direct process fluid from the lubrication flow paths 128A and 128B toward the interface between the thrust collar 112 and the respective thrust pads 132A and 1326, such that thin film of process fluid is maintained between the thrust collar 112 and the pads 132A and 132B. Process fluid from the annular cavity 123 also reaches the interface between the thrust collar 112 and the thrust pads 132A and 132B, as indicated by the additional lubrication flow paths 129A and 129B. The process fluid provides lubrication and also cooling at the interface between the thrust collar 112 and the pads 132A and 132B.

(19) The particular details of construction of the bearing assembly may vary in a number of ways. For example, the flow ports and the lubrication ports could have different shapes and locations than those shown in the drawings. In some embodiments, a different number of pads could be located on either side of the thrust collar. In some embodiments, two separate thrust collars or other annular rotatable elements could be provided, one for accommodating force in each direction. In some embodiments, separate bearings may be provided for accommodating force in each direction. In some embodiments, instead of the whole bearing assembly being located in the same part of the pump, a bearing for accommodating force in one direction could be in one part of the pump and a bearing for accommodating force in the other direction could be located in another part of the pump.

(20) The example embodiment shown in the figures has a number of advantages. For example, it is a single unit, making economical use of a single collar. Both the forward and reverse thrust pads and the collar are located in a part of the pump likely to have sufficient water pressure to maintain a film of lubricating water when required. In some embodiments, the bearing assembly is symmetrical so as to avoid reverse assembly errors and provide a single part that can be specified with a single max pressure in either direction, as opposed to being custom made for other applications with a different ratio of forward to reverse thrust.

(21) Bearing assemblies according to certain embodiments of the invention advantageously avoid the need for external lubrication or cooling systems. Further, due to the placement of the bearing assembly between the final two stages of the pump, the bearing assembly is always flooded with process fluid even during startup or sudden stops of the pump. Such bearing assemblies may be particularly advantageous when applied in high pressure pumps used in reverse osmosis systems for desalination of seawater.

(22) The present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive.