Tilting pad bearing assemblies, and bearing apparatuses and methods of using the same
Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to tilting pad bearing assemblies, bearing apparatuses including the tilting pad bearing assemblies, and methods of using the bearing apparatuses. The tilting pad bearing assemblies disclosed herein include a plurality of tilting pads. At least some of the superhard tables exhibit a thickness that is at least about 0.120 inch and/or at least two layers having different wear and/or thermal characteristics.
1. A system, comprising:
a first bearing assembly including:
a first support ring; and
one or more bearing elements distributed circumferentially about an axis, the one or more bearing elements including a bearing surface, wherein the one or more bearing elements are secured to the first support ring;
a second bearing assembly including:
a second support ring; and
a plurality of tilting pads distributed circumferentially about the axis and tilted and/or tiltably secured relative to the second support ring, each of the plurality of tilting pads including a superhard table having a superhard bearing surface, a lower surface, and at least one peripheral surface extending between the superhard bearing surface and the lower surface; wherein the superhard table of at least some of the plurality of tilting pads includes at least one of:
polycrystalline diamond exhibiting a thickness that is at least 0.200 inch, wherein the thickness of the superhard table is substantially uniform therethrough; or
a lower layer extending from the lower surface towards the superhard bearing surface and an upper layer extending from at least a portion of the superhard bearing surface towards the lower surface, the upper layer exhibiting a higher abrasion resistance than the lower layer; and
a shaft coupled to the other of the first support ring or the second support ring.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the superhard table of at least some of the plurality of tilting pads includes:
the polycrystalline diamond exhibiting the thickness that is at least 0.156 inch; and
the lower layer extending from the lower surface towards the superhard bearing surface, and the upper layer extending from the at least a portion of the superhard bearing surface towards the lower surface, the upper layer exhibiting a higher abrasion resistance than the lower layer.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of tilting pads includes:
a plurality of first tilting pads, each superhard table of the plurality of first tilting pads includes the polycrystalline diamond exhibiting the thickness that is at least 0.156 inch; and
a plurality of second tilting pads, each superhard table of the plurality of second tilting pads includes the lower layer extending from the lower surface towards the superhard bearing surface and the upper layer extending from the at least a portion of the superhard bearing surface towards the lower surface, the upper layer exhibiting a higher abrasion resistance than the lower layer.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of tilting pads includes:
a plurality of first tilting pads, each superhard table of the plurality of first tilting pads exhibits polycrystalline diamond exhibiting a thickness that is at least 0.156 inch; and
a plurality of third tilting pads, each superhard table of the plurality of third tilting pads exhibits a thickness that is less than 0.120 inch.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of tilting pads includes:
a plurality of second tilting pads, each superhard table of the plurality of second tilting pads includes the lower layer extending from the lower surface towards the superhard bearing surface and the upper layer extending from the at least a portion of the superhard bearing surface towards the lower surface, the lower layer exhibiting the lower average grain size and the upper layer exhibiting the upper average grain size, the lower average grain size being at least two times the upper average grain size; and
a plurality of fourth tilting pads, each superhard table of the plurality of fourth tilting pads includes a substantially uniform grain size therethrough.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the superhard table of at least some of the plurality of tilting pads includes the lower layer and the upper layer, the lower layer exhibiting a lower average grain size and the upper layer exhibiting an upper average grain size, the lower average grain size being at least two time the upper average grain size.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the lower average grain size is greater than about 60 μm and the upper average grain size is less than about 40 μm.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the superhard table of at least some of the plurality of tilting pads includes cubic boron nitride, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, tungsten carbide, a reaction-bonded superhard ceramic, a metal carbide, or combinations thereof.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an apparatus coupled to the shaft, the apparatus configured to rotate the shaft relative to the housing.
10. A subterranean drilling system including the system of claim 1 .
11. At least one of a pump, a turbine, a motor, a compressor, a generator, a gearbox, or a turbo expander including the system of claim 1 .
12. A system, comprising:
a first bearing assembly including:
a first support ring; and
one or more bearing elements distributed circumferentially about an axis, the one or more bearing elements including a bearing surface, wherein the one or more bearing elements are secured to the first support ring;
a second bearing assembly including:
a second support ring; and
a plurality of tilting pads distributed circumferentially about the axis and tilted and/or tiltably secured relative to the second support ring, each of the plurality of tilting pads including a superhard table having a superhard bearing surface, a lower surface, and at least one peripheral surface extending between the superhard bearing surface and the lower surface; wherein the superhard table of at least some of the plurality of tilting pads includes polycrystalline diamond exhibiting a thickness that is at least 0.200 inch, wherein the thickness of the superhard table is substantially uniform therethrough; and
a shaft coupled to the other of the first support ring or the second support ring.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the superhard table of at least some of the plurality of tilting pads includes a substantially uniform grain size therethrough.
14. A subterranean drilling system including the system of claim 12 .
15. At least one of a pump, a turbine, a motor, a compressor, a generator, a gearbox, or a turbo expander including the system of claim 12 .
16. A system, comprising:
a first bearing assembly including:
a first support ring; and
one or more bearing elements distributed circumferentially about an axis, the one or more bearing elements including a bearing surface, wherein the one or more bearing elements are secured to the first support ring;
a second bearing assembly including:
a second support ring; and
a plurality of tilting pads distributed circumferentially about the axis and tilted and/or tiltably secured relative to the second support ring, each of the plurality of tilting pads including a superhard table having a superhard bearing surface, a lower surface, and at least one peripheral surface extending between the superhard bearing surface and the lower surface; wherein the superhard table of at least some of the plurality of tilting pads includes a lower layer extending from the lower surface towards the superhard bearing surface and an upper layer extending from at least a portion of the superhard bearing surface towards the lower surface, the upper layer exhibiting a higher abrasion resistance than the lower layer; and
a shaft coupled to the other of the first support ring or the second support ring.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein the superhard table of the at least some of the plurality of tilting pads exhibits a thickness that is less than about 0.120 inch.
18. The system of claim 16 wherein the superhard table of the at least some of the plurality of tilting pads exhibits a thickness than varies.
19. A subterranean drilling system including the system of claim 16 .
20. At least one of a pump, a turbine, a motor, a compressor, a generator, a gearbox, or a turbo expander including the system of claim 16 .