Patent ID: 9534603
Date: 2017-01-03
CPC Classifications: F04D

Claim:
1. A thrust-absorbing horizontal surface pump assembly comprising: a horizontally-mounted electric submersible pump (ESP pump), the ESP pump comprising a pump inlet; a motor operatively coupled to the ESP pump so as to turn the ESP pump; an intake chamber extending between the ESP pump and the motor, wherein the intake chamber comprises a fluid entrance and an intake shaft, wherein the intake shaft is rotatably coupled to a motor shaft on a first end and an ESP pump shaft on a second end; a thrust bearing set disposed around the intake shaft, the thrust bearing set comprising: the intake chamber further having an open cavity extending between the thrust runner and the pump inlet; a first fluid path around the intake shaft and through the thrust bearing set, wherein a bypass fluid and a portion of a pumped fluid cool and lubricate the thrust bearing set; and a second fluid path from the fluid entrance through the open cavity to the pump inlet.