Patent ID: 7891426
Filing Date: 2011-02-22
Classification: E21B,F16C

Abstract:
1. A bearing assembly cooling system, comprising: a bearing assembly including an outer barrel having a central bore extending between upper and lower end portions thereof, an inner barrel at least partially disposed within the central bore of the outer barrel and bearings coupled between said barrels for providing concentric alignment of said barrels and allowing rotation therebetween, wherein the bearing assembly includes a first lubricant channel that extends within the outer barrel of the barrel assembly and includes a second lubricant channel defined between the outer barrel and the inner barrel of the bearing assembly, wherein said bearings are exposed within the second lubricant channel defined between the outer barrel and the inner barrel, wherein said lubricant channels intersect, wherein the outer barrel includes a bearing assembly retention groove within an exterior surface thereof, wherein a key portion extends across the bearing assembly retention groove, and wherein the first lubricant channel within the outer barrel extends through the key portion; a heat exchanger having a lubricant core portion and a coolant core portion, wherein said core portions are jointly configured for allowing heat transfer between respective fluids of said core portions; a coolant flow circuit apparatus coupled to the coolant core portion, wherein the coolant flow circuit apparatus is configured for circulating coolant through the coolant core portion; and a lubricant flow circuit apparatus coupled to the lubricant core portion and to said lubricant channels, wherein the lubricant flow circuit apparatus is configured for circulating lubricant through the lubricant core portion and said lubricant channels.