Patent ID: 11927105
Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  B | IPC F

Claim 9:
10. A thrust bearing system to dynamically support axial thrust in a pump, the thrust bearing system comprising: a thrust disc coupled to an impeller shaft; a first thrust pad coupled to a body of the pump, the first thrust pad positioned on a forward side of the thrust disc; a second thrust pad coupled to the body of the pump, the second thrust pad positioned on an aft side of the thrust disc, the first and second thrust pads defining a bearing chamber; and a spring-loaded assembly integrated into the first thrust pad, the spring-loaded assembly to support a forward axial thrust in the pump, the spring-loaded assembly connected to a pump outlet via a first flowline, the first flowline to transmit a working fluid from the pump outlet to the spring-loaded assembly, the spring-loaded assembly including: a plunger disposed in the first flowline; and a spring disposed between a wall of the first thrust pad and the plunger.