Compressor thrust bearings

摘要

A single stage centrifugal compressor is disclosed having a drive shaft with two thrust bearing collars disposed in a casing. The thrust collars are coupled to two sets of pads tiltingly engaged to two respective base plates. One or both of these base plates are coupled to the casing by a resilient member. This resilient member, by deflecting with the load allows the force applied to the thrust bearings to be balanced between the thrust bearings. It may be formed as two arcuate portions extending partially around the drive shaft or as a single ring. It may be formed as an annular portion with slots extending substantially radially outward from the rotational axis of the drive shaft outward to an outer surface facing away from the drive shaft, or may be made of two substantially parallel plates with an elastomeric layer sandwiched in between. The elastomeric layer may be either a single solid sheet or several elastomeric elements separated by gaps that allow the elastomer to expand outward when compressed.