Gas Purging System to Extend Thrust Bearing Life in ESPs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Caridad ◽  
Arthur Watson ◽  
Song Shang ◽  
Eric Nguyen ◽  
Gocha Chochua
Keyword(s):  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Motor Oil ◽  
Oil Viscosity ◽  
Test Fixture ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Working Volume ◽  
Gas Purging ◽  
Critical Components

Abstract Electric submersible pump (ESP) systems use thrust bearings in the seal section to handle the thrust generated by the pump stages. Thrust bearings are subjected to harsh operating conditions, including high loads, poor oil circulation, and motor oil viscosity degradation. A less-recognized issue is gas becoming centrifugally trapped under the thrust runner. The gas may be present because of incomplete purging of air during filling, permeation of well gas into the motor oil, or gradual gasification of motor oil at high temperatures. Because thrust bearings are such critical components, it is of interest to increase their reliability, which in turn will increase ESP life. A novel gas purging system (GPS) was designed to alleviate stressors on thrust bearings, including gas accumulation, viscosity deterioration and gasification at high temperature, and low working oil volume. GPS circulates oil along with any gas that accumulates under the thrust runner up to a quiet separation chamber. Degassed oil circulates back to the thrust bearing, while accumulated gas eventually purges to the wellbore through relief valves on subsequent on/off cycles. GPS also improves viscosity and reduces gasification by cooling the oil, and it provides a greater working volume of thrust bearing oil to reduce the effects of oil deterioration. This paper details the GPS design principles as well as the optimization of the different design parameters that affect its performance conducted via computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Observations captured on a test fixture built using the final configuration are also presented, validating the intended functionality.

An Accurate Solution of the Gas Lubricated, Flat Sector Thrust Bearing

1977 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Etsion ◽  
D. P. Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Film Thickness ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Thickness Distribution ◽  
Maximum Load ◽  
Accurate Solution ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Practical Design ◽  
Minimum Film Thickness

A flat sector shaped pad geometry for gas lubricated thrust bearings is analyzed considering both pitch and roll angles of the pad and the true film thickness distribution. Maximum load capacity is achieved when the pad is tilted so as to create a uniform minimum film thickness along the pad trailing edge. Performance characteristics for various geometries and operating conditions of gas thrust bearings are presented in the form of design curves. A comparison is made with the rectangular slider approximation. It is found that this approximation is unsafe for practical design, since it always overestimates load capacity.

Some Effects of Start-Up and Shut-Down on Thrust Bearing Assemblies in Hydro-Generators

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 824-832 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. Ettles ◽  
J. Seyler ◽  
M. Bottenschein
Keyword(s):  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Transient Effects ◽  
Design Studies ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Thermal Bending ◽  
Run Up ◽  
Basic Studies

The modernization of hydro-generators can involve the analysis of many different manufacturer’s designs of thrust bearings. Recent designs of bearing in common use are very reliable, but when failures do occur, it is often with older machines and within the first few minutes of start-up. This paper is a result of general design studies of various thrust bearing configurations subjected to transient operating conditions. It is shown that transient effects can induce an ‘overshoot’ of thermal deformation which can become unstable, leading to ‘thermal ratchetting.’ Examples are given of pads of various manufacturer’s bearings that have been subjected to this mechanism. Results from operating turbines, basic studies and measurements of the thermal bending of plates indicate that a peak deflection occurs well before thermal equilibrium is attained. The peaking phenomenon may be obscured in some designs or in cases where the run-up is gradual. The beneficial effects of using an oil-lift system during start-up are described. During shut-down it is important that the contact of hot, crowned pads against the runner be prevented. Minimum times for operation of the lift system are suggested, based on the thickness of the pads.

Analysis of Starved Thrust Bearings Including Temperature Effects

1987 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Artiles ◽  
H. Heshmat
Keyword(s):  
Film Thickness ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Load Capacity ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Geometrical Parameters ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Direct Iteration ◽  
Finite Thrust ◽  
Raphson Iteration

A method of analysis is described treating starvation in finite thrust bearing pads. A variable-size finite difference mesh is used to represent the two-dimensional temperature and pressure fields. A combination of Newton-Raphson iteration, direct iteration, and column matrix methods are used to solve for the start-of-film and minimum film thickness as well as the coupled two-dimensional energy and Reynolds equations. A parametric study describes the performance characteristics of the tapered land thrust bearing (flowrates, extent of fluid film, temperature rises, load capacity and torque) for different minimum film thicknesses and levels of starvation. This study considered variations in the geometrical parameters such as pad aspect ratio (L/R2=1/3, 1/2, 2/3) and extent of the pad (β=27, 42, and 57 deg) with an optimum taper ratio (β1/β=0.8). It is found that the effects of starvation are fairly small near the flooded condition but accelerate rapidly below the 50 percent starvation level. The start of the film (θ1) depends mostly on the level of starvation, and is essentially independent of the geometrical parameters, operating conditions or film thickness.

Transient and Steady State Vibration Analysis of a Wavy Thrust Bearing

2005 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Zhao ◽  
F. K. Choy ◽  
M. J. Braun
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Vibration Analysis ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Numerical Procedure ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
System Stability ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
External Perturbations ◽  
Vibration Signature ◽  
Transient And Steady State

This paper describes a numerical procedure for analyzing the dynamics of transient and steady state vibrations in a wavy thrust bearing. The major effects of the wavy geometry and the operating parameters on the dynamic characteristics of the bearing had been discussed in a previous paper; the present paper thus concentrates on examining the relationships between the development of the transient and steady state vibrations when operating conditions are parametrically varied. Special attention is given to the development of steady state vibrations from initial transients with comparisons and consequences to the overall system stability. Numerical based vibration signature analysis procedures are then used to identify and quantify the transient vibrations. The conclusions provide general indicators for designing wavy thrust bearings that are less susceptible to transients induced by external perturbations.

A Study on Energetic and Hydraulic Interaction of Combined Journal and Thrust Bearings

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Hagemann ◽  
Hardwig Blumenthal ◽  
Christian Kraft ◽  
Hubert Schwarze
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Journal Bearing ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Minor Importance ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Side Flow

A theoretical algorithm for the analysis of bidirectional interaction of combined journal and thrust bearings is presented. While many theoretical and experimental investigations on the operating behavior of single journal and thrust bearings can be found only few results for combined bearings are available. However, combined bearings interact by exchanging lubricant and heat which can affect significant changes of boundary conditions compared to a single bearing application. Therefore, a novel procedure is developed to combine two separate codes for journal and thrust bearings in order to iteratively determine the coupling boundary conditions due to the special design of the entire bearing unit. The degree of interaction strongly depends on the type of lubrication. In a first step predictions are verified by measurement data for a combined bearing with a fixed-pad offset-halves journal bearing and a directed lubricated tilting-pad thrust bearing. Experiments were conducted on a high speed test rig up to sliding speeds of 107 m/s at the mean radius of the thrust bearing. As expected the interaction of the two oil films is comparably low in the investigated speed and load range for this bearing design because of the active lubrication of both bearings and the low hydraulic resistance of the thrust bearing. In order to theoretically investigate interaction of thrust and journal bearings in more details a combined bearing with fixed-pad thrust parts lubricated exclusively by the side flow of the journal bearing is studied. A variation of modeling level, pocket design of the journal part, thrust load and rotating frequency provides the following results: (i) hydraulic and energetic interaction have to be modelled in details, (ii) the axial flow resistance of the pockets strongly influences flow rates and the pressure level at the interfaces (iii) the level of interface pressure rises with increasing thrust loads and decreasing rotor speed, (iv) the axial bearing clearance is rather of minor importance for the investigated bearing. Finally, improvements in order to predict operating conditions more precisely are comprehensively discussed.

Paper 17: A Self-Acting Parallel Surface Thrust Bearing

1967 ◽  
Vol 182 (14) ◽  
pp. 139-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. H. Bennett ◽  
C. Ettles
Keyword(s):  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Flat Surface ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Land Type ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Parallel Surface ◽  
Analysis Design ◽  
Design And Testing ◽  
Good Agreement

This paper describes the analysis, design, and testing of a one-piece hydrodynamic thrust bearing with an initially flat surface, which has a performance similar to conventional pivoted pad thrust bearings. The leading portion of each pad is undercut allowing it to deflect elastically under load and form a wedge-shaped film. Analysis of the configuration used is particularly simple and gives good agreement with experimental results. This cantilever bearing is compared quantitatively with the plain land type and is shown to have a greatly superior performance. Comprehensive instrumentation mounted in both the rotor and the bearing gave an accurate account of the operating conditions.

scholarly journals PISTON LUBRICATION IN RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
A. T. Prata ◽  
J. R. S. Fernandes ◽  
F. Fagotti
Keyword(s):  
Hydrodynamic Force ◽  
Problem Formulation ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Oscillatory Motion ◽  
Viscous Force ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Oil Viscosity ◽  
Time Step ◽  
Detailed Model

Piston dynamics plays a fundamental role in two critical processes related to fluid flow in reciprocating compressors. The first is the refrigerant leakage through the radial clearance, which may cause considerable loss in the pumping efficiency of the compressor. The second process is the viscous friction associated with the lubricant film in the radial clearance; certainly a significant factor in the compressor energy consumption. In the present contribution a numerical simulation of the piston movement inside the cylinder of a reciprocating compressor is performed. The compressor considered here is a small hermetic compressor employed in domestic refrigerators. For the problem formulation both the axial and the radial piston motion is considered. In operation, the piston moves up and down along the axis of the cylinder, but the radial oscillatory motion in the cylinder bore, despite being usually small, plays a very important role on the compressor performance and reliability. The compromise between sealing of the gas leakage through the piston-cylinder clearance and the friction losses requires a detailed analysis of the oscillatory motion for a good design. The forces acting on the piston are the hydrodynamic force due to the pressure build up in the oil film (lubrication effects), the force due to the connecting rod, the viscous force associated with the relative motion between the piston and oil, and the force exerted by the gas on the top of the piston. All corresponding moments are also included in the problem formulation of the piston dynamics, in order to determine the piston trajectory, velocity and acceleration at each time step. The hydrodynamic force is obtained from the integration of the pressure distribution on the piston skirt, which, in turn, is determined from a finite volume solution of the time dependent equation that governs the oil flow. A Newton-Raphson procedure was employed in solving the equations of the piston dynamics. The results explored the effects of some design parameters and operating conditions on the stability of the piston, its sealing performance and friction losses. Emphasis was placed on investigating the influence of the pin location, radial clearance and oil viscosity on the piston dynamics. The complexity of the piston movement in reciprocating compressors was demonstrated and the detailed model presented can be employed as an useful tool for engineering design.

Dynamic Analysis of Piston Secondary Motion for Small Reciprocating Compressors

2000 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 752-760 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. T. Prata ◽  
J. R. S. Fernandes ◽  
F. Fagotti
Keyword(s):  
Viscous Friction ◽  
Problem Formulation ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Oscillatory Motion ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Radial Clearance ◽  
Oil Viscosity ◽  
Time Step ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Oil Leakage

Piston dynamics plays a fundamental role in two critical processes related to fluid flow in reciprocating compressors. The first is the gas leakage through the radial clearance, which may cause considerable loss in the pumping efficiency of the compressor. The second process is the viscous friction associated with the lubricant film in the radial clearance. In the present contribution a numerical simulation is performed for a ringless piston inside the cylinder of a reciprocating compressor, including both the axial and the radial piston motion. The compressor considered here is a small hermetic compressor employed in domestic refrigerators, with the radial clearance between piston and cylinder filled with lubricant oil. In operation, the piston moves up and down along the axis of the cylinder, but the radial oscillatory motion in the cylinder bore, despite being usually small, plays a very important role on the compressor performance and reliability. The compromise between oil leakage through the piston-cylinder clearance and the friction losses requires a detailed analysis of the oscillatory motion for a good design. All corresponding forces and moments are included in the problem formulation of the piston dynamics in order to determine the piston trajectory, velocity and acceleration at each time step. The hydrodynamic force is obtained from the integration of the pressure distribution on the piston skirt, which, in turn, is determined from a finite volume solution of the time dependent equation that governs the oil flow. A Newton-Raphson procedure was employed in solving the equations of the piston dynamics. The results explored the effects of some design parameters and operating conditions on the stability of the piston, the oil leakage, and friction losses. Emphasis was placed on investigating the influence of the pin location, radial clearance and oil viscosity on the piston dynamics. [S0742-4787(11)00301-8]

Hydrodynamic Thrust Bearings: Theory and Experiment

1991 ◽  
Vol 113 (3) ◽  
pp. 633-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Tieu
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Effects ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Reynolds Equation ◽  
Energy Equation ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Oil Viscosity ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Generalized Reynolds Equation

In this paper results from experimental studies and computer simulation of hydro-dynamic tilting thrust bearings are presented. The bearing performance in terms of outlet film thickness, friction coefficient, and bearing temperature was measured in a high speed thrust bearing test rig. The numerical simulation involves the solution of the generalized Reynolds equation and the energy equation, which considers thermal effects on the oil viscosity and the squeezing of the oil film.

The Influence of Injection Pockets on the Performance of Tilting-Pad Thrust Bearings: Part II — Comparison Between Theory and Experiment

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Heinrichson ◽  
Axel Fuerst ◽  
Ilmar Ferreira Santos
Keyword(s):  
Film Thickness ◽  
Thrust Bearing ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Oil Film ◽  
Thrust Bearings ◽  
Tilting Pad ◽  
High Pressure Injection ◽  
Theoretical Pressure

This is Part II of a two-part series of papers describing the effects of high pressure injection pockets on the operating conditions of tilting-pad thrust bearings. Measurements of the distribution of pressure and oil film thickness are presented for tilting-pad thrust bearing pads of approximately 100 cm2 surface area. Two pads are measured in a laboratory test-rig at loads of approximately 0.5, 1.5 and 4.0 MPa and velocities of up to 33 m/s. One pad has a plain surface. The other pad has a conical injection pocket at the pivot point and a leading edge taper. The measurements are compared to theoretical values obtained using a three dimensional thermoelasto-hydrodynamic (TEHD) numerical model. At low and intermediate loads the theoretical pressure distribution corresponds well to the measured values for both pads although the influence of the pocket is slightly underestimated. At high loads large discrepancies exist for the pad with an injection pocket. It is argued that this is likely to be due to the unevenness of the collar surface. The measured and theoretical values of oil film thickness compare well at low loads. At high loads discrepancies grow to up to 25 %. It is argued that this is due to the accuracy of the measurements.

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