Electrical submersible pump with equally loaded thrust bearings and method of pumping subterranean fluid

摘要

A rotary pump having thrust bearings includes a system for equalizing the loading on the thrust bearings. The thrust bearings are each supported on pistons that are in fluid communication with a hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic circuit has substantially the same pressure throughout, thereby floating each piston at the same pressure to provide an equal support force to each thrust bearing via each piston.