Cylindrical bearing pads are insertable into bearing pad recesses formed in a receiving surface of a bearing pad retainer in a load-carrying structure. The bearing pads have an insertion end which is fixed into the bearing pad recess by brazing or by interference fitting and a bearing end which projects from the receiving surface and terminates in a bearing face. The bearing face has a periphery which encircles the bearing face and an indentation having a perimeter formed centrally in the bearing face. An annular flattened area encircles the indentation forming an effective bearing contact area between an outer border of the flattened area and the perimeter of the indentation. When the indentation is filled with drilling fluid, lubrication is provided to an opposed bearing face of an opposing bearing pad. The indentation can be filled with drilling fluid or some other material with a higher heat storage capacity than polycrystalline diamond to provide temperature modulation for storing heat produced at the bearing face. When filled with a material, the indentation also serves to dissipate heat to reducing the length of a path of heat when the heat is conducted to cooler areas of the bearing face. Alternate embodiments include bearing faces with single or plural indentations of various shapes.
A diamond bearing assembly comprises a support ring having at least one diamond bearing segment attached thereto. A plurality of bearing pads are disposed on the diamond bearing segment. The plurality of bearing pads have a plurality of flow micro-channels between the bearing pads. A flow channel is disposed in the support ring proximate the bearing segment, wherein the flow channel has a fluid flowing therethrough for cooling the bearing segment. In another aspect, a method of cooling a diamond bearing comprises disposing a plurality of bearing pads on a diamond bearing segment. The diamond bearing segment are attached to a support ring. A fluid flows through a substantially radial channel in the support ring to cool the diamond bearing segment.
An axial bearing includes a ring, pads and a base. Multiple, independent pads are orientated in a curved or circular configuration with respect to one another. The pads are retained by recesses in the base. If the pump is installed in a centrifugal pump, the base is preferably integrated into a front impeller shroud. Each pad conforms in shape and size to a corresponding recess's shape and size. Each pad has a side which faces a face of the ring. Axial clearances between the base and the pads may be controlled by varying the pad heights. Fractured pads can potentially be retained in the recesses. The user may remove individual pads during repair and inspection of the axial bearing.
A wear-resistant bearing system utilizes a grid pattern of wear-resistant material. In instances where two bearing surfaces slide with respect to one another, such as with a thrust bearing, wear-resistant material strips are inlaid in the surrounding support material. The strips of wear-resistant material are arranged on each component such that the strips intersect one another when one component is moved with respect to the other. This transverse relationship or grid pattern promotes extremely long component life.
This invention is directed to cutting elements having an ultra hard cutting layer such as polycrystalline diamond or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride bonded on a cemented carbide substrate. The interface between the substrate and the cutting layer of each such cutting element is non-planar. The non-planar interface is designed to enhance the operating life of the cutting element by reducing chipping, spalling, partial fracturing, cracking and/or exfoliation of the ultra hard cutting layer, and by reducing the risk of delamination of the cutting layer from the substrate.
