Downhole turbine assembly
First Claim
1. A downhole turbine assembly, comprising:
- a stator housing having one or more stator blades positioned within the stator housing and extending radially inward therefrom;
a rotor shaft rotatably positioned within the stator housing and having an upper portion provided at a first end of the rotor shaft and defining an upper bearing shoulder, a lower portion provided at a second end of the rotor shaft and defining a lower bearing shoulder, and an intermediate portion between the first end and the second end;
one or more rotor blades secured to the intermediate portion for rotation with the rotor shaft and being interleaved with the one or more stator blades; and
a first bearing assembly positioned at the first end and a second bearing assembly positioned at the second end, the first and second bearing assemblies each including a bearing housing, one or more radial bearings disposed in the bearing housing, and one or more thrust bearings disposed in the bearing housing, wherein at least one of the bearing housings provides a primary flow path and a secondary flow path, and wherein the secondary flow path extends through the one or more radial bearings and the one or more thrust bearings.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A downhole turbine assembly includes a stator housing having one or more stator blades positioned within the stator housing and extending radially inward therefrom. A rotor shaft having a first end and a second end is rotatably positioned within the stator housing and has a first portion exhibiting a first diameter and a second portion exhibiting a second diameter greater than the first diameter. One or more rotor blades are secured to the second portion for rotation with the rotor shaft, and a first bearing assembly is positioned at the first end and a second bearing assembly is positioned at the second end. At least one of the bearing housings provides a primary flow path and a secondary flow path, and one or more radial bearings and one or more thrust bearings are arranged in the secondary flow path.
12 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A downhole turbine assembly, comprising:
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a stator housing having one or more stator blades positioned within the stator housing and extending radially inward therefrom; a rotor shaft rotatably positioned within the stator housing and having an upper portion provided at a first end of the rotor shaft and defining an upper bearing shoulder, a lower portion provided at a second end of the rotor shaft and defining a lower bearing shoulder, and an intermediate portion between the first end and the second end; one or more rotor blades secured to the intermediate portion for rotation with the rotor shaft and being interleaved with the one or more stator blades; and a first bearing assembly positioned at the first end and a second bearing assembly positioned at the second end, the first and second bearing assemblies each including a bearing housing, one or more radial bearings disposed in the bearing housing, and one or more thrust bearings disposed in the bearing housing, wherein at least one of the bearing housings provides a primary flow path and a secondary flow path, and wherein the secondary flow path extends through the one or more radial bearings and the one or more thrust bearings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method, comprising:
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circulating a fluid to a downhole turbine assembly, the downhole turbine assembly including; a stator housing having one or more stator blades positioned within the stator housing and extending radially inward therefrom; and a rotor shaft rotatably positioned within the stator housing and having an upper portion provided at a first end of the rotor shaft and defining an upper bearing shoulder, a lower portion provided at a second end of the rotor shaft and defining a lower bearing shoulder, and an intermediate portion between the first end and the second end; rotating the rotor shaft as the fluid impinges upon one or more rotor blades secured to the intermediate portion of the rotor shaft between the first end and the second end; assuming radial and thrust loads on the rotor shaft with a first bearing assembly positioned at the first end and a second bearing assembly positioned at the second end, the first and second bearing assemblies each including a bearing housing, one or more radial bearings disposed in the bearing housing, and one or more thrust bearings disposed in the bearing housing, wherein at least one of the bearing housings provides a primary flow path and a secondary flow path; and flowing a first portion of the fluid through the primary flow path, and flowing a second portion of the fluid through the secondary flow path, wherein the one or more radial bearings and the one or more thrust bearings are arranged in the secondary flow path. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification