BEARING ASSEMBLIES, RELATED BEARING APPARATUSES, AND RELATED METHODS

• Main Authors: Kolste, Tyler, Pedersen, Trond, Peterson, S. Barrett, Gonzalez, Jair J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.12.2021
• Subjects: BEARINGS; BLASTING; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; SHAFTS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

Bearing assemblies that include a plurality of polycrystalline diamond ("PCD") bearing elements, bearing apparatuses including such bearing assemblies, and methods of operating and fabricating such bearing assemblies and apparatuses are disclosed. In an embodiment, the plurality of PCD bearing elements of one or more of the bearing assemblies disclosed herein include at least one first PCD bearing element. At least a portion of the first PCD bearing element exhibits a coercivity of about 125 Oersteds or more and a specific magnetic saturation of about 14 Gauss·cm3/gram or less. The first PCD bearing element includes a bearing surface with at least one groove formed therein. In an embodiment, the plurality of PCD bearing elements also include at least one second PCD bearing element. The second PCD bearing element exhibits a coercivity that is less than and a specific magnetic saturation that is greater than the first PCD bearing element.