Patent ID: 7997802
Filing Date: 2011-08-16
Classification: F01D,F05D,F16C,F16J

Abstract:
1. An axial plain bearing assembly comprising: a) a thrust ring provided for common rotation with a rotary component and a counter ring provided for mounting non-rotationally on a stationary component, said thrust and counter rings having bearing faces facing each other, and said thrust ring further having a radial seal face on an end face thereof remote from the counter ring for co-operating with a radial seal face of a non-rotational seal ring of a gas-lubricated mechanical face seal assembly for sealing said rotary and stationary components against each other; b) wherein a plurality of peripherally spaced gas-pumping grooves are formed in at least one of the radial seal faces of the thrust and non-rotational seal rings, said gas-pumping grooves extending from one circumference of said one seal face towards the other circumference thereof and terminating at a radial distance from the other circumference, and wherein a mass ring connected with the thrust ring is provided at a side thereof remote from the counter ring at an axial distance from the thrust ring, the mass ring being configured and adapted to exert a balancing force on the thrust ring under centrifugal forces acting on the mass ring during common rotation of the mass and thrust rings to compensate for thermal distortion of the thrust ring during operation; wherein said mass and thrust rings are provided as a single piece, and further comprising a first spacer ring disposed between the mass and thrust ring.