Patent ID: 8602753

Claim:
A geothermal fluid pump induction motor comprising: a rotatable shaft; a rotor and a stator one of which comprises an induction coil cooperative with said shaft such that upon passage of electric current through said induction coil, rotating movement is imparted to said shaft; a bearing assembly comprising: a bearing housing affixable to a geothermal fluid pump and configured to transmit a load generated in said shaft to a structure within said pump; a sliding bearing positioned within said housing, said sliding bearing configured to operate in a substantially continuous lubricant environment and comprising: a multilayer bushing disposed against an inner surface of said housing; and a bearing sleeve concentrically disposed within said multilayer bushing and cooperative therewith such that said sleeve rotates relative thereto in response to rotation of said shaft; and a fluid conveying mechanism positioned within said housing and configured to deliver a lubricant to said stator and said rotor such that said substantially continuous lubricant environment is established therebetween, said fluid conveying mechanism further configured to deliver said lubricant between said multilayer bushing and said bearing sleeve such that a lubricant flow path is defined therebetween as part of said substantially continuous lubricant environment; a motor section enclosure disposed about said shaft, said induction coil and said bearing assembly such that said lubricant placed therein may serve as a heat removal medium for said bearing assembly; and a geothermal fluid passage formed concentrically around said motor section enclosure such that upon thermal contact between said geothermal fluid in said passage and an outer surface of said motor section enclosure, a transfer of heat from said bearing assembly to said geothermal fluid takes place across said motor section enclosure while maintaining fluid isolation between said lubricant and said geothermal fluid.