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

Claim 0:
1. 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, the thrust disc protruding radially outward from the impeller shaft, the impeller shaft coupled to an impeller, the impeller including impeller vanes on a forward side of the impeller and expeller vanes on an aft side of the impeller; a first thrust pad coupled to a body of the pump, the first thrust pad protruding radially inward toward the impeller shaft, 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 protruding radially inward toward the impeller shaft, the second thrust pad positioned on an aft side of the thrust disc; and a spring-loaded assembly integrated into the first and second thrust pads, 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 forward side of the thrust disc or the aft side of the thrust disc based on a position of 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.