IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,281,657
Granted Patent B2
US 12,281,657 · App. 18/356,690 · Granted Apr 22, 2025

Apparatus to reduce bearing failure

Inventors: Adam Joseph Wangler (Evendale, OH); Bugra H. Ertas (Niskayuna, NY); Veera Venkata Amarnath Manem (Bengaluru, IN)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F04D29/057F04D29/668F04D17/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,281,657
App. No.
18/356,690
Granted
Apr 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to reduce failure to bearings in a pump system. Disclosed herein is a pump system comprising a shaft connected to an impeller of the pump system, and a bearing to provide a dampening to the shaft, the bearing including a journal lining, the journal lining supported in the pump system, a spring-loaded foil to separate the shaft from the journal lining, an inner lining between the shaft and the spring-loaded foil, and a deformation limiter located between the spring-loaded foil and the journal lining.

Claims (30)

1. A pump system comprising:

a shaft connected to an impeller of the pump system; and

a bearing to provide a dampening to the shaft, the bearing including:

a journal lining, the journal lining supported in the pump system;

a spring-loaded foil to separate the shaft from the journal lining;

an inner lining between the shaft and the spring-loaded foil; and

a deformation limiter located between the spring-loaded foil and the journal lining.

2. The pump system of claim 1 , wherein the deformation limiter is coupled to the journal lining.

3. The pump system of claim 1 , wherein the deformation limiter is coupled to the spring-loaded foil.

4. The pump system of claim 1 , wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum deformation of the spring-loaded foil while the pump system is inoperable.

5. The pump system of claim 1 , wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum deformation of the spring-loaded foil while the pump system is in operation.

6. The pump system of claim 1 , wherein the bearing is a radial foil bearing, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum radial deformation of the radial foil bearing due to a radial load applied by the shaft to the radial foil bearing.

7. The pump system of claim 1 , wherein the bearing is an axial thrust bearing, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum axial deformation of the axial thrust bearing due to an axial load applied by the shaft to the axial thrust bearing.

8. A bearing comprising:

a housing;

a journal lining, the journal lining supported in the housing;

a spring-loaded foil to separate a shaft from the journal lining;

an inner lining between the spring-loaded foil and the shaft; and

a deformation limiter located between the spring-loaded foil and the journal lining.

9. The bearing of claim 8 , wherein the deformation limiter is coupled to the journal lining.

10. The bearing of claim 9 , wherein the deformation limiter is manufactured with the journal lining and made of the same material as the journal lining.

11. The bearing of claim 8 , wherein the deformation limiter is coupled to the spring-loaded foil.

12. The bearing of claim 11 , wherein the deformation limiter is manufactured with the spring-loaded foil and is made of the same material as the spring-loaded foil.

13. The bearing of claim 8 , wherein the bearing is used within a pump system, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum deformation of the spring-loaded foil while the pump system housing the bearing is inoperable.

14. The bearing of claim 8 , wherein the bearing is used within a pump system, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum deformation of the spring-loaded foil while the pump system housing the bearing is in operation.

15. The bearing of claim 8 , wherein the bearing is a radial foil bearing, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum radial deformation of the radial foil bearing due to a radial load applied by the shaft to the radial foil bearing.

16. The bearing of claim 8 , wherein the bearing is an axial thrust bearing, wherein the deformation limiter is to establish a maximum axial deformation of the axial thrust bearing due to an axial load applied by the shaft to the axial thrust bearing.

17. The bearing of claim 8 , wherein a size of the deformation limiter is parametrized based upon a maximum deformation of the spring-loaded foil due to a load from the shaft being applied to the spring-loaded foil.

18. The bearing of claim 17 , wherein the deformation limiter size is parametrized based upon at least one of a maximum deformation allowable, a minimum clearance maintainable between the shaft and the journal lining, or a maximum load applied by the shaft.

19. The bearing of claim 8 , wherein the bearing is at least one of a foil bearing or a thrust bearing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2023
From: WANGLER, ADAM JOSEPH; ERTAS, BUGRA H.; MANEM, VEERA VENKATA AMARNATH
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 064342/0818 →
Priority Claims (1)
IN 202211073553 · Dec 19, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240200564A1 · Jun 20, 2024
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