Top drive bearing for use in a top drive system, and made of non-vacuum arc remelted steel configured to achieve an extended life cycle at least equivalent to a life factor of three for a vacuum arc remelted steel
A top drive thrust bearing configured for use in a heavy loaded top drive system. The top drive thrust bearing includes an upper plate; a lower plate; and a plurality of rollers disposed between the upper plate and the lower plate. The composition of the top drive thrust bearing comprising a non-vacuum arc remelted steel including, in weight percent (%), about 0.15% to about 0.18% carbon (C), about 0.15% to about 0.4% silicon (Si), about 0.4% to about 0.7% manganese (Mn), 0% to about 0.025% phosphorus (P), about 0.0005% to about 0.002% sulfur (S), about 0.0002% to about 0.0007% oxygen (O), about 0.001% to about 0.003% titanium (Ti), about 1.3% to about 1.6% chromium (Cr), about 3.25% to about 3.75% nickel (Ni), about 0.0005% to about 0.003% calcium (Ca), about 0.15% to about 0.25% molybdenum (Mo), balance iron (Fe).
1. A top drive system comprising:
a stationary frame;
a rotatable shaft within the frame; and
a top drive thrust bearing surrounding the shaft; the top drive thrust bearing of the top drive system comprising:
an upper plate;
a lower plate, wherein at least one of the upper plate and the lower plate is secured to the frame; and
a plurality of rollers disposed between the upper plate and the lower plate; the composition of the top drive thrust bearing comprising a non-vacuum arc remelted steel comprising, in weight percent (%), about 0.15% to about 0.18% carbon (C), about 0.15% to about 0.4% silicon (Si), about 0.4% to about 0.7% manganese (Mn), 0 to about 0.025% phosphorus (P), about 0.0005% to about 0.002% sulfur (S), about 0.0002% to about 0.0007% oxygen (O), about 0.0005% to about 0.003% titanium (Ti), about 1.3% to about 1.6% chromium (Cr), about 3.25% to about 3.75% nickel (Ni), about 0.0005% to about 0.003% calcium (Ca), about 0.15% to about 0.25% molybdenum (Mo), balance iron (Fe).
2. A top drive thrust bearing configured for use in a heavy loaded top drive system, the top drive thrust bearing comprising:
an upper plate;
a lower plate; and a plurality of rollers disposed between the upper plate and the lower plate; the composition of the top drive thrust bearing comprising a non-vacuum arc remelted steel comprising, in weight percent (%), about 0.15% to about 0.18% carbon (C), about 0.15% to about 0.4% silicon (Si), about 0.4% to about 0.7% manganese (Mn), 0 to about 0.025% phosphorus (P), about 0.0005% to about 0.002% sulfur (S), about 0.0002% to about 0.0007% oxygen (O), about 0.0005% to about 0.003% titanium (Ti), about 1.3% to about 1.6% chromium (Cr), about 3.25% to about 3.75% nickel (Ni), about 0.0005% to about 0.003% calcium (Ca), about 0.15% to about 0.25% molybdenum (Mo), balance iron (Fe).
3. The top drive thrust bearing of claim 2 , wherein the non-vacuum arc remelted steel comprises between about 0.001% and about 0.002% sulfur.
4. The top drive thrust bearing of claim 2 , wherein the non-vacuum arc remelted steel comprises between about 0.0004% and about 0.0007% oxygen.
5. The top drive thrust bearing of claim 2 , wherein the non-vacuum arc remelted steel comprises between about 0.001% and about 0.003% titanium.
6. The top drive thrust bearing of claim 2 , wherein the non-vacuum arc remelted steel comprises between about 0.001% and about 0.003% calcium.
7. The top drive thrust bearing of claim 2 , wherein the composition of the bearing exhibits uniform properties in a processing direction and in a direction perpendicular to the processing direction.
8. The top drive thrust bearing of claim 2 , wherein the bearing is configured to achieve a fine grain size of ASTM No. 6 or finer, as measured according to ASTM E 112.
9. The top drive thrust bearing of claim 2 , wherein the bearing is configured to achieve ASTM A 534 quality requirements in terms of inclusions.