Bearing assemblies and bearing apparatuses

Abstract

In an embodiment, a bearing apparatus comprises a first bearing assembly including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced first bearing elements each of which includes a first bearing surface. The bearing apparatus further includes a second bearing assembly including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements each of which includes a second bearing surface oriented to engage the first bearing surfaces of the first bearing assembly during operation. At least one of the second bearing elements may be circumferentially spaced from an adjacent one of the second bearing elements by a lateral spacing greater than a lateral dimension of the at least one of the second bearing elements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bearing support ring for use in a bearing assembly of a bearing apparatus used in a subterranean drilling system, the bearing support ring comprising:
 a support ring body defining a plurality of circumferentially-spaced recesses, each of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced recesses configured to receive a corresponding one of a plurality of superhard bearing elements; and   at least one flow obstruction element positioned and configured to inhibit fluid flow between the plurality of superhard bearing elements, the at least one flow obstruction element positioned circumferentially between circumferentially adjacent recesses of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced recesses, the at least one flow obstruction element including a terminal surface positioned below each bearing surface of the plurality of superhard bearing elements.   
     
     
         2 . The bearing support ring of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced recesses is circumferentially spaced from a circumferentially nearest one of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced recesses by a respective lateral spacing greater than a respective lateral dimension of the circumferentially nearest one of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced recesses. 
     
     
         3 . The bearing support ring of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of circumferentially-spaced recesses are substantially equally circumferentially spaced from each other. 
     
     
         4 . The bearing support ring of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow obstruction element is laterally spaced a distance from a circumferentially adjacent recess of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced recesses less than an average lateral dimension of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced recesses. 
     
     
         5 . The bearing support ring of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow obstruction element is formed integrally with the support ring body. 
     
     
         6 . The bearing support ring of  claim 1 , wherein the terminal surface of the at least one flow obstruction element is positioned below each bearing surface of the plurality of superhard bearing elements by a distance of 0.0050 inches to 0.030 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The bearing support ring of  claim 1 , wherein a circumferential gap between the at least one flow obstruction element and an adjacent recess is less than an average lateral dimension of the recess. 
     
     
         8 . The bearing support ring of  claim 1 , wherein the support ring body includes at least one of tungsten carbide or silicon carbide. 
     
     
         9 . The bearing support ring of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow obstruction element includes a plurality of flow obstruction elements, each of the plurality of flow obstruction elements positioned circumferentially between circumferentially adjacent recesses of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced recesses. 
     
     
         10 . A bearing apparatus, comprising:
 a first bearing assembly including:
 a plurality of circumferentially-spaced first bearing elements, each of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced first bearing element includes a first bearing surface including a first material, each of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced first bearing elements circumferentially spaced from a circumferentially nearest one of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced first bearing elements by a respective first lateral spacing; and 
   a second bearing assembly including:
 a bearing support ring; 
 a plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements fixed to the bearing support ring, each of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements including a second bearing surface, the second bearing surface including a second material that is different from the first material; and 
 wherein each of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements is circumferentially spaced from a circumferentially nearest one of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements by a respective second lateral spacing greater than a respective second lateral dimension of the circumferentially nearest one of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements, the second lateral spacing greater than the first lateral spacing. 
   
     
     
         11 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first material or the second material includes a superhard material. 
     
     
         12 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first material includes at least one of silicon carbide, diamond-silicon carbide composite, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride and polycrystalline diamond; and the second material includes polycrystalline diamond. 
     
     
         13 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein at least some of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements are more thermally stable than the plurality of circumferentially-spaced first bearing elements. 
     
     
         14 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the more thermally-stable bearing elements include at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond. 
     
     
         15 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements are attached to the bearing support ring by at least one of brazing or press-fitting. 
     
     
         16 . The bearing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first lateral spacing is less than a respective first lateral dimension of the circumferentially nearest one of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced first bearing elements. 
     
     
         17 . The bearing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the number of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements is less than the number of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced first bearing elements. 
     
     
         18 . The bearing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the respective second lateral dimension is equal to or greater than the respective first lateral spacing. 
     
     
         19 . A bearing apparatus, comprising:
 a first bearing assembly including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced first bearing elements each of which includes a first bearing surface; and   a second bearing assembly including:
 a bearing support ring having a plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements mounted thereto; 
   wherein each of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements includes a second bearing surface oriented to engage the first bearing surfaces of the first bearing assembly during operation; and   wherein the bearing support ring includes at least one flow obstruction element positioned circumferentially between circumferentially adjacent second bearing elements of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements and includes a terminal surface positioned below each of the second bearing surfaces.   
     
     
         20 . The bearing apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements is circumferentially spaced from a circumferentially nearest one of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements by a respective second lateral spacing greater than a respective second lateral dimension of the circumferentially nearest one of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements, the second lateral spacing greater than the first lateral spacing. 
     
     
         21 . The bearing apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the respective second lateral spacing is at least about two times greater than an average of the second lateral dimensions of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements. 
     
     
         22 . The bearing apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the at least one flow obstruction element is laterally spaced a distance from a circumferentially adjacent second bearing element of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements less than an average lateral dimension of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements. 
     
     
         23 . The bearing apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the number of the second bearing elements is less than the number of the first bearing elements. 
     
     
         24 . The bearing apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of circumferentially-spaced first bearing elements and the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements are distributed about a thrust axis; or wherein the first bearing surfaces of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced first bearing elements and the second bearing surfaces of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced second bearing elements are generally radially oriented. 
     
     
         25 . The bearing apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein each of the first and second bearing surfaces includes polycrystalline diamond.