A turbopump system, comprising: a pump portion comprising a housing and an impeller disposed in an impeller cavity defined by the housing, the housing further defining a pressure release passageway extending from a portion of the impeller cavity proximal a rear face of the impeller and configured to enable release of pressure from the pump portion, wherein the pump portion is disposed between a high pressure side and a low pressure side of a working fluid circuit; a drive turbine coupled to the pump portion and configured to drive the pump portion to enable the pump portion to circulate a working fluid through the working fluid circuit; and a pressure release valve fluidly coupled to the pressure release passageway and configured to be positioned in an opened position to enable pressure to be released through the pressure release passageway and in a closed position to disable pressure from being released through the pressure release passageway; and further comprising: a first set of sensors adapted to provide first data corresponding to a measured pressure at an inlet of the pump portion, the impeller rear face opposing the inlet; a second set of sensors adapted to provide second data corresponding to a measured pressure at an outlet of the pump portion; a third set of sensors adapted to provide third data corresponding to a measured pressure at the pressure release passageway defined in the housing; determining means adapted to determine, based on a combination of the first data, the second data and the third data, whether a thrust load generated by the pump exceeds a predetermined threshold; and a controller adapted to actuate the pressure release valve fluidly coupled to the pressure release passageway to an opened position to release pressure from the pump when the thrust load exceeds the predetermined threshold. a pump portion comprising a housing and an impeller disposed in an impeller cavity defined by the housing, the housing further defining a pressure release passageway extending from a portion of the impeller cavity proximal a rear face of the impeller and configured to enable release of pressure from the pump portion, wherein the pump portion is disposed between a high pressure side and a low pressure side of a working fluid circuit; a drive turbine coupled to the pump portion and configured to drive the pump portion to enable the pump portion to circulate a working fluid through the working fluid circuit; and a pressure release valve fluidly coupled to the pressure release passageway and configured to be positioned in an opened position to enable pressure to be released through the pressure release passageway and in a closed position to disable pressure from being released through the pressure release passageway; and further comprising: a first set of sensors adapted to provide first data corresponding to a measured pressure at an inlet of the pump portion, the impeller rear face opposing the inlet; a second set of sensors adapted to provide second data corresponding to a measured pressure at an outlet of the pump portion; a third set of sensors adapted to provide third data corresponding to a measured pressure at the pressure release passageway defined in the housing; determining means adapted to determine, based on a combination of the first data, the second data and the third data, whether a thrust load generated by the pump exceeds a predetermined threshold; and a controller adapted to actuate the pressure release valve fluidly coupled to the pressure release passageway to an opened position to release pressure from the pump when the thrust load exceeds the predetermined threshold.