Bearing assembly for a vertical turbine pump

1. A bearing assembly for supporting a drive shaft within a vertical turbine pump, the bearing assembly comprising:

a cylindrical body having a continuous wall defining a passageway for receiving a drive shaft therethrough, and having an outer surface, an inner surface, a first end and a second end;

an internal cavity formed along said inner surface of said cylindrical body;

an annular shoulder extending inwardly from at least one of said first end and said second end, said annular shoulder being structured to receive and retain at least one sealing element;

at least one sealing element positioned in said annular shoulder; and

a pressure equalization element formed in said cylindrical body in fluid communication with said internal cavity.

2. The bearing assembly of claim 1 further comprising an annular shoulder formed at each of said first end and said second end of said cylindrical body.

3. The bearing assembly of claim 1 further comprising an opening formed through said continuous wall and positioned to provide fluid communication between said cavity and said pressure equalization element.

4. The bearing assembly of claim 3 wherein said pressure equalization element comprises a labyrinthine channel formed along said outer surface of said cylindrical body and extending from said opening to one of said first end or said second end of said cylindrical body.

5. The bearing assembly of claim 3 wherein said pressure equalization element is a spiral channel formed along said outer surface of said cylindrical body to encircle said cylindrical body, and extending from said opening to one of said first end or said second end of said cylindrical body.

6. The bearing assembly of claim 1 wherein said at least one sealing element further comprises a series of lip seals.

7. The bearing assembly of claim 1 wherein said cavity is filled with a lubricant.

8. A vertical turbine pump, comprising:

a drive shaft being operatively connected to a drive means for rotating said drive shaft;

a casing element surrounding said drive shaft and providing a support structure;

a bearing positioned between said casing element and said drive shaft, said bearing comprising,

a cylindrical body having a continuous wall defining a passageway for receiving the drive shaft therethrough, and having an outer surface, an inner surface, a first end and a second end;

an internal cavity formed along said inner surface of said cylindrical body;

an annular shoulder extending inwardly from at least one of said first end and said second end, said annular shoulder being structured to receive and retain at least one sealing element therein; and

a pressure equalization element located between said casing element and said bearing and being in fluid communication with said internal cavity of said cylindrical body, the pressure equalization element containing, at least in part, a quantum of lubricant; and

at least one impeller operatively connected to said drive shaft for rotation thereby.

9. The vertical turbine pump of claim 8 wherein the pressure equalization element comprises a labyrinthine channel.

10. The vertical turbine pump of claim 9 wherein the labyrinthine channel is formed in the outer surface of said cylindrical body.

11. The vertical turbine pump of claim 9 wherein the labyrinthine channel is formed in the casing element.

12. The vertical turbine pump of claim 8 wherein the pressure equalization element comprises a spiral channel.

13. The vertical turbine pump of claim 12 wherein the spiral channel is formed in the outer surface of said cylindrical body.

14. The vertical turbine pump of claim 12 wherein the spiral channel is formed in said casing element.

15. A pressure equalization element for a bearing assembly of a pump, the pressure equalization element comprising: a bearing positioned in use between a rotational drive shaft and a stationary pump casing portion, said bearing having an end, a wall, an internal cavity for retaining a lubricant therein, and having an opening extending through said wall from said internal cavity to a point at the exterior to said bearing wall; a channel element extending from said opening to a position toward the end of said bearing, wherein the pressure equalization element contains at least in part a quantum of lubricant.

16. The pressure equalization element of claim 15 wherein said channel element is formed in an outer surface of said bearing.

17. The pressure equalization element of claim 15 wherein said channel element is formed in said stationary pump casing portion.

18. Method for supporting a rotational drive shaft in a pump, comprising:

providing a drive shaft having an outer surface and a rotational axis; providing a bearing comprising a cylindrical body having a passage formed through the cylindrical body for receiving a drive shaft, an internal cavity and having at least one sealing element; providing a pressure equalization element between the internal cavity and a point exterior to the bearing which includes an element that extends from the internal cavity to a point exterior to said bearing; positioning the drive shaft through the passage of the bearing to position the bearing about the drive shaft and to position the pressure equalization element to extend from the interior cavity of the bearing to a point exterior to the bearing; and generating a pressure differential across the bearing to act upon the pressure equalization element to preserve the at least one sealing element of the bearing and to provide isolation of the interior cavity from an area of pressure external to the bearing.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the internal cavity is formed to be oriented toward and positioned adjacent the drive shaft, and wherein the pressure equalization element of the cylindrical body further includes a channel in fluid communication with the internal cavity and extending from the internal cavity to an outer surface of the cylindrical body, the channel containing an amount of lubricant, whereby, in generating the pressure differential, the pressure equalization element operates to equalize pressure between the internal cavity and the outside of the bearing.

20. Method for assembling a pump, comprising:

providing a drive shaft;

providing a supporting structure in proximity to the drive shaft;

providing a bearing comprising a cylindrical body having a continuous wall and having a passage for receiving a drive shaft therethrough, and further having a pressure equalization element positioned in contact with the cylindrical body and in fluid communication with a point internal to the cylindrical body proximate the drive shaft via an opening through said continuous wall;

positioning the bearing about the drive shaft and in engagement with the supporting structure; and

orienting the pressure equalization element toward an area of formation of increased pressure resulting from rotation of the drive shaft to facilitate equalization of pressure between a point internal to the bearing proximate the drive shaft and the area of formation of increased pressure.

21. The method in accordance with claim 20 wherein the cylindrical body of the bearing includes an internal cavity formed to be oriented toward and positioned adjacent the drive shaft, and wherein the pressure equalization element of the cylindrical body further includes a channel in fluid communication with the internal cavity, which extends from the internal cavity to an outer surface of the cylindrical body, the channel containing an amount of lubricant, wherein orienting the pressure equalization element toward an area of increased pressure further comprises exposing the lubricant within the channel to the area of increased pressure.

22. The method in accordance with claim 20 wherein the cylindrical body of the bearing includes at least one sealing element positioned at one end of the cylindrical body, the method further comprising orienting the cylindrical body of the bearing to dispose the at least one sealing element toward the area of increased pressure.

23. The method in accordance with claim 20 wherein the internal cavity and channel of the pressure equalization element are filled with lubricant after positioning the bearing about the drive shaft.