US 12,331,781 B2
Dual thrust bearing systems and methods for operating the same
Mohan Kannaiah Raju, Bengaluru (IN); David Raju Yamarthi, Bengaluru (IN); Santosh Kumar Pattnaik, Bengaluru (IN); Adam Joseph Wangler, Evendale, OH (US); Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Bengaluru (IN); and Sanjeev Sai Kumar Manepalli, Bengaluru (IN)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Mar. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/191,631.
Claims priority of application No. 202311007068 (IN), filed on Feb. 3, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0263671 A1, Aug. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. F16C 17/04 (2006.01); F04D 29/051 (2006.01); F16C 17/26 (2006.01)
CPC F16C 17/04 (2013.01) [F04D 29/0513 (2013.01); F16C 17/045 (2013.01); F16C 17/26 (2013.01); F16C 2360/00 (2013.01); F16C 2360/44 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thrust bearing apparatus to support thrust loading on a shaft of a pump, the thrust bearing apparatus comprising:
a thrust disk extending radially from the shaft, the thrust disk having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;
a bearing housing surrounding the thrust disk and the shaft, the thrust disk disposed within the bearing housing, the bearing housing having a first wall facing the first side of the thrust disk and a second wall facing the second side of the thrust disk;
a first thrust pad coupled to the first wall of the bearing housing, the first thrust pad including a first plurality of serrations circumferentially arranged in a first pattern along the first thrust pad; and
a second thrust pad coupled to the first side of the thrust disk, the second thrust pad including a second plurality of serrations circumferentially arranged in a second pattern along the second thrust pad.