Multi-bearing design for shaft stabilization

Abstract

A centrifugal pump features a bearing housing; a rotor shaft configured in the bearing housing; an impeller configured on the rotor shaft; a sealing arrangement having a seal configured between the rotor shaft and the bearing housing; and a multiple sleeve bearing arrangement positioned on a rotor span between the impeller and the sealing arrangement to provide rotor stabilization, the multiple bearing arrangement having a primary sleeve bearing configured between the rotor shaft and the bearing housing near or in close proximity to the impeller on the rotor span, and a secondary sleeve bearing configured between the rotor shaft and the bearing housing near or in close proximity to the sealing arrangement on the rotor span.

Claims

1. A pump comprising: a bearing housing; a rotor shaft configured in the bearing housing; an impeller configured on the rotor shaft; a sealing arrangement having a seal configured between the rotor shaft and the bearing housing; and a multiple sleeve bearing arrangement positioned on a rotor span between the impeller and the sealing arrangement to provide rotor stabilization, the multiple bearing arrangement having a primary sleeve bearing configured between the rotor shaft and the bearing housing near or in close proximity to the impeller on the rotor span, and a secondary sleeve bearing configured between the rotor shaft and the bearing housing near or in close proximity to the sealing arrangement on the rotor span.

2. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the pump is a centrifugal pump.

3. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the multiple sleeve bearing arrangement comprises a third sleeve bearing configured between the primary sleeve bearing and the secondary sleeve bearing.

4. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the primary sleeve bearing is a hydrostatic sleeve bearing.

5. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the secondary sleeve bearing is a hydrostatic sleeve bearing.

6. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the primary sleeve bearing and the secondary sleeve bearing are hydrostatic sleeve bearings.

7. A pump according to claim 1, wherein some combination of the primary sleeve bearing and the secondary sleeve bearing are hydrodynamic sleeve bearings.

8. A pump according to claim 1, wherein the bearing housing includes, or takes the form of, a two-part bearing housing having an upper bearing housing and a lower bearing housing that are configured to form a between bearing fluid chamber for containing bearing fluid/liquid in the bearing housing between the primary sleeve bearing and the secondary sleeve bearing.

9. A centrifugal pump comprising: a bearing housing; a rotor shaft configured in the bearing housing; an impeller configured on the rotor shaft; a sealing arrangement having a seal configured between the rotor shaft and the bearing housing; and a multiple fluid sleeve bearing arrangement positioned on a rotor span between the impeller and the sealing arrangement to provide rotor stabilization, the multiple bearing arrangement having a primary hydrostatic sleeve bearing configured between the rotor shaft and the bearing housing near or in close proximity to the impeller on the rotor span, and a secondary hydrostatic sleeve bearing configured between the rotor shaft and the bearing housing near or in close proximity to the sealing arrangement on the rotor span.

10. A centrifugal pump according to claim 9, wherein the multiple fluid sleeve bearing arrangement comprises a third hydrostatic sleeve bearing configured between the primary hydrostatic sleeve bearing and the secondary hydrostatic sleeve bearing.

11. A pump according to claim 9, wherein the bearing housing includes, or takes the form of, a two-part bearing housing having an upper bearing housing and a lower bearing housing that are configured to form a between bearing fluid chamber for containing bearing fluid/liquid in the bearing housing between the primary sleeve bearing and the secondary sleeve bearing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The drawing includes FIGS. 1-2, which are not necessarily drawn to scale:

(2) FIG. 1 is a diagram of a pump having a multiple sleeve bearing arrangement positioned on a rotor span between an impeller and a sealing arrangement to provide rotor stabilization, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a diagram of a pump having a multiple sleeve bearing arrangement positioned on a rotor span between an impeller and a sealing arrangement to provide rotor stabilization, e.g., having three or more sleeve bearings (including a third sleeve bearing shown), according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(4) In FIGS. 1-2, similar elements are shown having similar reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1

(5) By way of example, FIG. 1 shows a new and unique pump generally indicated as 10, according to some embodiments of the present invention. The pump may include, or take the form of, a centrifugal pump.

(6) In FIG. 1, the centrifugal pump 10 includes a bearing housing 12, 13; a rotor shaft 14 configured in the bearing housing 12; an impeller 16 configured on the rotor shaft 14; a sealing arrangement 18 having a seal 18 configured between the rotor shaft 14 and the bearing housing 12; and a multiple sleeve bearing arrangement 20, 22 positioned on a rotor span between the impeller 16 and the sealing arrangement having the seal 18 to provide rotor stabilization.

(7) The multiple bearing arrangement may include a primary sleeve bearing 20 configured between the rotor shaft 14 and the bearing housing 13 near or in close proximity to the impeller 16 on the rotor span, and a secondary sleeve bearing 22 configured between the rotor shaft 14 and the bearing housing 12 near or in close proximity to the sealing arrangement 18 having the seal 18 on the rotor span. (By way of example, in the present invention the multiple sleeve bearings are used to support the rotor and may be located in a range of approximately 1 to 3 feet measured from the seal.) The bearing housing 12, 13 may include, or may take the form of, a two-part bearing housing having an upper bearing housing 12 and a lower bearing housing 13 that are configured to form a so-called between bearing fluid chamber 24 for containing bearing fluid/liquid, e.g., such as oil or water, in the bearing housing 12, 13 between the primary sleeve bearing 20 and the secondary sleeve bearing 22. As one skilled in the art would appreciate, the rotor span is understood to be a span or distance along the rotor shaft 14 extending from near or in close proximity to the top of the impeller 16 and near or in close proximity to the bottom of the sealing arrangement 18 having the seal 18, e.g., consistent with that shown and described herein.

(8) By way of example, and according to some embodiments, either or both of the primary sleeve bearing 20 and the secondary sleeve bearing 22 may include, or take the form of, a hydrostatic sleeve bearing, which are described in further detail below.

Other Pump Components

(9) In FIG. 1, the pump 10 is understood to include other components or parts that do not form part of the underlying invention per se, e.g., including a pump discharge casing 30; a driver support 32; bolts 34 for coupling together the upper bearing housing 12 and a cap 18 forming part of the sealing arrangement 18 having the seal 18; and also including various O-rings indicated by reference numeral 36a, 36b, 36c, e.g., for providing O-ring seals 36a between the upper bearing housing 12 and the cap 18, or for providing O-ring seals 36b between the upper bearing housing 12 and the lower bearing housing 13; or for providing O-ring seals 36c between the lower bearing housing and the pump discharge casing 30. The pump 10 also includes other components or parts that are shown but not labeled in FIG. 1, of which the structure and functionality would be understood and appreciate by one skilled in the art.

(10) FIG. 1 also shows an arrow generally indicating a compressive thrust imposed on the rotor shaft 14 by the liquid/fluid.

Sleeve Bearings

(11) In general, and as one skilled in the art would appreciate, a sleeve bearing is understood to be a machine bearing in which an axle or shaft turns in a sleeve that is often grooved to facilitate distribution of lubricant to the sleeve bearing. A sleeve bearing is a kind of cylindrical bearing, e.g., having a single internal rotating cylinder inside it. Sleeve bearings are porous, so they draw up the oil applied on the outer sleeve. Sleeve bearings are also understood to be a kind of plain bearing, e.g., having few moving parts. In contrast, many spherical ball bearings have an internal ring, which is lined with smaller balls inside. In contrast to regular ball bearings, a sleeve bearing only has two moving parts; the outer sleeve and the inner rotating cylinder. They are also known as journal bearings, after the technical term for the outer sleeve. By way of example, the outer journey of a sleeve bearing may be whole, split, or clenched between the two halves.

(12) By way of example, sleeve bearings may be made of compressed powdered metal, such as bronze or copper. Because of the material from which they are made, the metal is microscopically porous. When they are oiled on the outside, the oil will be drawn up through the pores to lubricate the inner cylinder.

(13) By way of further example, a sleeve bearing may be lubricated in a number of ways besides oiling. Sometimes, molten metal or graphite is used. Some man-made polymers can lubricate moving parts without seizing up in extremely cold temperatures. Other sleeve bearings are surfaced with porous, oiled hardwood so that the oil will be drawn up into them more readily.

(14) The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind of sleeve bearing, e.g., including those both now known and later developed in the future.

(15) By way of still a further example, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,456 that discloses a bearing sleeve for a pump shaft, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,808 that discloses a vane pump having a sleeve bearing and rotor retaining constructions, which are both incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Fluid Bearings

(16) As one skilled in the art would also appreciate and understand, fluid bearings are bearings in which the load is supported by a thin layer of rapidly moving pressurized liquid or gas between the bearing surfaces. Since there is no contact between the moving parts, there is no sliding friction, allowing fluid bearings to have lower friction, wear and vibration than many other types of bearings.

(17) They can be broadly classified into two types: fluid dynamic bearings (also known as hydrodynamic bearings) and hydrostatic bearings. Hydrostatic bearings are externally pressurized fluid bearings, where the fluid is usually oil, water or air, and the pressurization is done by a pump. Hydrodynamic bearings rely on the high speed of the journal (the part of the shaft resting on the fluid) to pressurize the fluid in a wedge between the faces. Fluid bearings are frequently used in high load, high speed or high precision applications where ordinary ball bearings would have short life or cause high noise and vibration. They are also used increasingly to reduce cost.

(18) Fluid bearings are noncontact bearings that use a thin layer of rapidly moving pressurized liquid or gas fluid between the moving bearing faces, typically sealed around or under the rotating shaft. The moving parts do not come into contact, so there is no sliding; the load force is supported solely by the pressure of the moving fluid.

(19) There are two principal ways of getting the fluid into the bearing: In fluid static, hydrostatic and many gas or air bearings, the fluid is pumped in through an orifice or through a porous material. Such bearings should be equipped with the shaft position control system, which adjusts the fluid pressure and consumption according to the rotation speed and shaft load. Hydrostatic bearings rely on an external pump. The power required by that pump contributes to system energy loss, just as bearing friction otherwise would. Better seals can reduce leak rates and pumping power, but may increase friction. By way of example, the following United States Patents disclose hydrostatic bearings: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,281,032; 2,998,999; 3,476,447; and 3,359,613; which are all incorporated by reference in their entirety. In fluid-dynamic bearings, the bearing rotation sucks the fluid on to the inner surface of the bearing, forming a lubricating wedge under or around the shaft. Hydrodynamic bearings rely on bearing motion to suck fluid into the bearing, and may have high friction and short life at speeds lower than design, or during starts and stops. An external pump or secondary bearing may be used for startup and shutdown to prevent damage to the hydrodynamic bearing. A secondary bearing may have high friction and short operating life, but good overall service life if bearing starts and stops are infrequent. By way of example, the following United States Patents disclose hydrodynamic bearings: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,733,048; 6,264,003 and 9,518,426; which are all incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIG. 2: A Third Bearing Sleeve 26

(20) By way of further example, FIG. 2 shows a pump generally indicated as 10 having a multiple bearing arrangement with a third and intermediate sleeve bearing 26 configured between the primary sleeve bearing 20 and the secondary sleeve bearing 22. By way of example, and according to some embodiments, the third and intermediate sleeve bearing 26 may include, or take the form of, a hydrostatic sleeve bearing, consistent with that set forth herein.

(21) Embodiments are envisioned, and the scope of the invention is intended to include, implementing other types or kinds of multiple bearing arrangements having more than three sleeve bearings, e.g., including four (4) sleeve bearing arrangements, five (5) sleeve bearing arrangements, etc.

(22) The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the number of sleeve bearings in the multiple bearing arrangement, the axial or radial dimension of the sleeve bearings, etc. By way of example, embodiments are envisioned for implementing multiple bearing arrangement along a rotor shaft having a predetermined length, where a first multiple bearing arrangement may include two sleeve bearings having a first set of axial and radial dimensions to fit within the predetermined length along the rotor shaft, as well as where a second multiple bearing arrangement may include three or more sleeve bearings having a second set of axial and radial dimensions that are either larger or smaller than the first set to fit within the predetermined length along the rotor shaft.

(23) Other Examples of U.S. Patents Disclosing Pumps Having Rotors with Bearings

(24) By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,802 discloses a centrifugal pump having front and rear bearing portions with ball bearings, balls, and inner and outer bearing races; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,729,518 discloses a shaft arrangement having a shaft, a vibration stabilizer located intermediate bearing supports and forming a third bearing support, and rotating masses on the shaft between the vibration stabilizer the bearing supports, which are both hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The Scope of the Invention

(25) It should be understood that, unless stated otherwise herein, any of the features, characteristics, alternatives or modifications described regarding a particular embodiment herein may also be applied, used, or incorporated with any other embodiment described herein. Also, the drawing herein is not drawn to scale.

(26) Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, the foregoing and various other additions and omissions may be made therein and thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.