Magnetically driven positive displacement pump and thrust bearing

Abstract

A positive displacement pump and thrust bearing assembly having a housing defining an internal fluid chamber having front and rear inner walls. A rotor having a front face and a rear face is positioned in the fluid chamber. Each of the faces of the rotor is spaced apart from a corresponding inner wall of the fluid chamber to define predetermined clearances therebetween. A shaft is connected at a first end to the rotor to effect rotation thereof. A sealed container surrounds and encloses a second end of the shaft and is in fluid communication with the fluid chamber. The thrust bearing assembly is positioned within the container and includes an adjusting sleeve and an adjusting plate. The adjusting sleeve is attachable to the housing and includes a central bore through which the shaft extends. The adjusting plate is connectable to the shaft such that the sleeve is located between the housing and the adjusting plate. The adjusting plate is rotatable with the shaft and is in relative rotatable engagement with the stationary seat. The adjusting sleeve and the adjusting plate prevent movement of the shaft and the rotor in a direction away from the adjusting sleeve and toward the rear inner wall of the fluid chamber such that the predetermined clearances between the faces of the rotor and the internal walls of the housing are substantially uniformly maintained as the rotor rotates.