IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0255395
(2008-10-21)
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등록번호 |
US-7780424
(2010-09-13)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Parmeter, Larry J.
- Craig, Chad A.
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Baker Hughes Incorporated
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
23 |
초록
A bearing configuration for use in electrical submersible pumps having improved stability. The bearing configuration comprised of a plurality of pads, each able to freely tilt and adjust to the surface of the shaft.
대표청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. An electric submersible pump assembly for use in a well, comprising: an electrical motor having a lubricant-filled housing, a rotor, a stator, and a shaft having an axis; a rotary pump driven by the motor; a plurality of bearings in the motor for radially stabilizing th
The invention claimed is: 1. An electric submersible pump assembly for use in a well, comprising: an electrical motor having a lubricant-filled housing, a rotor, a stator, and a shaft having an axis; a rotary pump driven by the motor; a plurality of bearings in the motor for radially stabilizing the shaft, at least one of the bearings in the motor being immersed in the lubricant in the motor and having a bearing housing; bearing surfaces comprising a plurality of pads mounted symmetrically within the bearing housing and about the shaft, wherein a radius of curvature of an inner surface of the plurality of pads is equal to a radius of the shaft; a pivot element positioned between and in contact with an outer side of each pad and the bearing housing, wherein each pad is pivotable about the pivot element; and at least one pair of retainer spring assemblies for each of the pads, each retainer spring assembly extending from the bearing housing to one of the pads and exerting an outward force on each pad relative to the axis to maintain contact of each pad with the pivot element, one of the retainer spring assemblies in each of the pairs being axially located from the pivot element in one axial direction, and the other of the retainer spring assemblies being axially located from the pivot element in an opposite axial direction. 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the retainer spring assemblies comprises an elastic member, a pad mounting member on the pad and a bearing housing mounting member on the bearing housing the elastic member being stretched between the bearing housing mounting member and the pad mounting member. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: said at least one pair of retainer spring assemblies for each of the pads comprises two pairs of retainer spring assemblies for each of the pads, each pair being spaced circumferentially from the other pair, with the pivot element located circumferentially between the two pairs. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of each pad is made of bronze. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of each pad is made of tungsten carbide. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each pair of retainer spring assemblies comprises: an upper retainer spring assembly mounted between the bearing housing and an upper end of the pad; a lower retainer spring assembly mounted between the bearing housing and a lower end of the pad; and wherein the pivot element is located equidistant between the upper and lower ends of the pad. 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the upper retainer spring assembly comprises two upper retainer spring assemblies circumferentially spaced apart from each other; the lower retainer spring assembly comprises two lower retainer spring assemblies circumferentially spaced apart from each other; and the pivot element is located circumferentially equidistant between the two upper retainer spring assemblies and between the two lower retainer spring assemblies. 8. An electric submersible pump assembly for use in a well, comprising: an electrical motor having a lubricant-filled housing, a rotor and a stator; a centrifugal pump having a plurality of pump stages within a housing; a seal section connected between the pump and the motor for sealing well fluid from the motor and for reducing pressure differential between the, lubricant in the motor and the fluid in the wellbore; a shaft extending through the motor, seal section and pump for driving the pump; plurality of bearings in the motor, seal section, and pump for stabilizing the shaft, at least one, of the bearings in the motor being immersed in the lubricant in the motor and having an annular bearing housing; bearing surfaces comprising a plurality of pads mounted symmetrically within the bearing housing and about the shall, each of the pads having an inner curved surface that faces the shaft; a semi-spherical recess on an outer side of each pad; a plurality of ball bearings, each having an inner side portion located in contact with one of the recesses; a plurality of compression springs, each mounted to the bearing housing and in contact with one of the ball bearings for urging the ball bearings inward against the pads; and a plurality of retainer spring assemblies, each mounted between the bearing housing and one of the pads, the retainer spring assemblies urging the pads outward from the shaft. 9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the bearing housing comprises a sleeve, and the apparatus further comprises: a plurality of set screws mounted in the bearing housing, wherein each set screw is in contact with an outer side of one of the compression springs, such that a radial position of each pad relative to the shaft can be adjusted independently of the other pads by rotating the set screws. 10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the retainer spring assemblies for each of the pads comprise: at least one pair of elastic members extending from the bearing housing to the pad, one of the elastic members in each of the pairs being located axially from the ball bearing of the pad in one axial direction and the other of the elastic members being located axially from the ball bearing in an opposite axial direction, the elastic members being in tension. 11. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: a plurality of holes passing radially through the bearing housing; a set screw with an inner and outer surface, captured in each hole, with the inner surface in contact with a Belleville washer, and the outer surface exposed for adjustment of the screw within the hole; and the ball bearing being located against the Belleville washer on a side opposite the set screw, such that the set screw can adjust the radial position of each pad relative to the shaft. 12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said at least one pair of elastic members comprises; two pairs of elastic members for each pad. 13. An electric submersible pump assembly for use in a well, comprising: a housing; a shaft extending through the housing and having an axis; at least one bearing in the housing through which the shaft extends, the bearing comprising: an outer sleeve nonrotatably mounted in the housing; a plurality of pads spaced around and within the outer sleeve, each pad having a curved inner surface concentric with the outer diameter of the sleeve for engaging the shaft; a semi spherical recess in an outer side of each pad; a pivot ball having an inner side located in each recess and protruding radially outward from the pad relative to the axis; upper and lower tension springs, extending from the sleeve to each pad and being in tension, each upper tension spring extending from an upper end of one of the pads to the sleeve, each lower tension spring extending from a lower end done of the pads to the sleeve, the upper and lower tension springs exerting outward forces on the upper and lower ends of each pad to maintain contact of each pad with the pivot ball; a plurality of set screws mounted in the sleeve, each set screw being in radial alignment with one of the pivot balls; and a compression spring positioned between an outer side of each pivot ball and each set screw, such that each of the set screws can control the radial position of one of the pads relative to the shaft. 14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: at least one upper pad peg protruding upward from the upper end of each pad; at least one lower pad peg protruding downward from the lower end of each pad; at least one upper sleeve peg protruding upward from an upper shoulder of the sleeve radially outward from one of the upper pad pegs; at least one lower sleeve peg protruding downward from a lower shoulder of the sleeve radially outward from one of the lower pad pegs; and wherein each of the tension springs is stretched between adjacent ones of the pad pegs and sleeve pegs. 15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein: said at least one upper pad peg comprises two upper pad pegs spaced circumferentially apart; said at least one lower pad peg comprises two lower pad pegs spaced circumferentially apart; said at least one upper sleeve peg comprises two upper sleeve pegs spaced circumferentially apart; said at least one lower sleeve peg comprises two lower sleeve pegs spaced circumferentially apart; and the ball bearing for each of the pads is positioned circumferentially between the two upper pad pegs and two lower pad pegs.
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