Multistage centrifugal pump with integral abrasion-resistant axial thrust bearings

1. A multistage centrifugal pump comprising:

a rotatable shaft;

an upstream impeller connected to the rotatable shaft;

a stationary diffuser;

a downstream impeller connected to the rotatable shaft; and

an integral axial load and bearing system, wherein the integral axial load and bearing system comprises:

a diffuser bushing contained within the stationary diffuser;

an upstream impeller bearing connected to the rotatable shaft; and

a downstream impeller bearing connected to the rotatable shaft,

wherein the diffuser bushing comprises a central interior passage and the upstream impeller bearing—comprises a central cylinder that extends inside the central interior passage of the diffuser bushing,

wherein the downstream impeller bearing comprises a central cylinder that extends inside the central interior passage of the diffuser bushing, and

wherein the integral axial load and bearing system further comprises a gap within the interior of the diffuser bushing between the central cylinder of the upstream impeller bearing and the central cylinder of the downstream impeller bearing, wherein the gap permits the axial displacement of the upstream impeller and downstream impeller with respect to the diffuser.

2. The multistage centrifugal pump of claim 1 , wherein the diffuser bushing comprises a flanged end and at least one lubricant channel.

3. The multistage centrifugal pump of claim 1 , wherein the diffuser bushing is a downstream diffuser bushing and wherein the integral axial load and bearing system further comprises an upstream diffuser bushing.

4. The multistage centrifugal pump of claim 3 , wherein the downstream diffuser bushing comprises a central interior passage and the downstream impeller bearing comprises a central cylinder that extends inside the central interior passage of the downstream diffuser bushing.

5. The centrifugal pump of claim 4 , wherein upstream impeller bearing comprises a cylindrical body that is connected to the shaft and spaced apart from the upstream diffuser bushing to create a gap that permits the axial displacement of the upstream diffuser with respect to the diffuser.

6. The multistage centrifugal pump of claim 3 , wherein the upstream diffuser bushing and the downstream diffuser bushing are each retained within separate counter bores within the diffuser.

7. A pumping system comprising:

a motor; and

a multistage centrifugal pump driven by the motor, the multistage centrifugal pump comprising:

a rotatable shaft;

an upstream stage, wherein the upstream stage—comprises an upstream diffuser and an upstream impeller;

a downstream stage, wherein the downstream stage—comprises a downstream diffuser and a downstream impeller; and

a first integral axial load and bearing system within the upstream stage, wherein the first integral axial load and bearing system comprises:

a first diffuser bushing contained within the upstream diffuser;

a first upstream impeller bearing connected to the rotatable shaft; and

a first downstream impeller bearing connected to the rotatable shaft,

wherein the pump comprises a second integral axial load and bearing system within the downstream stage, and

wherein the upstream stage is not adjacent to the downstream stage.

8. The pumping system of claim 7 , wherein the upstream stage is adjacent to the downstream stage.

9. The pumping system of claim 7 , wherein the second integral axial load and bearing system comprises:

a second diffuser bushing contained within the downstream diffuser;

a second upstream impeller bearing connected to the rotatable shaft; and

a second downstream impeller bearing connected to the rotatable shaft.

10. The pumping system of claim 9 , wherein within the first integral axial load and bearing system, the diffuser bushing—comprises a central interior passage and the upstream impeller bearing—comprises a central cylinder that extends inside the central interior passage of the diffuser bushing.

11. The pumping system of claim 10 , wherein within the first integral axial load and bearing system, the downstream impeller bearing—comprises a central cylinder that extends inside the central interior passage of the diffuser bushing.

12. The pumping system of claim 11 , wherein the first and second integral axial load and bearing systems each further comprise a gap within the interior of the diffuser bushing between the central cylinder of the upstream impeller bearing and the central cylinder of the downstream impeller bearing, wherein the gap permits the axial displacement of the upstream impeller and downstream impeller.

13. A multistage centrifugal pump comprising:

a housing;

a rotatable shaft;

a first turbomachinery stage, wherein the first turbomachinery stage comprises:

a first diffuser connected to the housing; and

a first impeller connected to the rotatable shaft;

a second turbomachinery stage, wherein the second turbomachinery stage comprises:

a second diffuser connected to the housing; and

a second impeller connected to the rotatable shaft; and

an integral axial load and bearing system, wherein the integral axial load and bearing system—comprises at least one diffuser bushing and at least one impeller bearing that together permit the independent axial movement of the first and second impellers,

wherein the integral axial load and bearing system further comprises:

a first diffuser bushing contained within the first diffuser;

an upstream impeller bearing connected to the rotatable shaft; and

a downstream impeller bearing connected to the rotatable shaft, and

wherein the integral axial load and bearing system further comprises a second diffuser bushing contained within the first diffuser.

14. The multistage centrifugal pump of claim 13 , further comprising:

a pump base; and

a primary thrust bearing positioned inside the pump base.