System and method for hydrostatic bearings

Abstract

A system, includes a hydraulic transfer system configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein the first fluid has a pressure higher than the second fluid, comprising: a sleeve; a cylindrical rotor disposed within the sleeve in a concentric arrangement and has a first end face and a second end face disposed opposite each other; a first end cover having a first surface that interfaces with the first end face of the cylindrical rotor; a second end cover having a second surface that interfaces with the second end face of the cylindrical rotor; and a hydrostatic bearing system configured to utilize a bearing fluid at a pressure higher than the second fluid to resist axial displacement, radial displacement, or both axial and radial displacement of the cylindrical rotor.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a hydraulic transfer system configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein the first fluid has a first pressure and the second fluid has a second pressure, and wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure, comprising:
 a cylindrical rotor configured to rotate circumferentially about a rotational axis, the cylindrical rotor defining a first end face and a second end face, wherein the first end face is opposite the second end face; and 
 a hydrostatic bearing system configured to utilize a bearing fluid at a pressure higher than the second pressure of the second fluid to resist axial displacement, radial displacement, or both axial and radial displacement of the cylindrical rotor, the hydrostatic bearing system comprises:
 a first end cover having a first surface that interfaces with the first end face of the cylindrical rotor, the first surface defines a first groove that extends a first arc length circumferentially about the rotational axis, wherein the first end cover defines an aperture that extends through a circumferential side surface of the first end cover, wherein the aperture fluidly couples to the first groove through the first end cover, wherein the first groove is configured to receive the bearing fluid. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic transfer system comprises a rotary isobaric pressure exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a second end cover comprising a second surface that interfaces with the second end face of the cylindrical rotor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the second end cover defines a second groove that extends a second arc length circumferentially about the rotational axis and is configured to receive the bearing fluid to provide a fluidic bearing between the second end cover and the cylindrical rotor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first surface of the first end cover or the second surface of the second end cover comprises at least one additional groove that extends circumferentially at least partially about the rotational axis, the at least one additional groove is radially offset from the first groove or the second groove relative to the rotational axis. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrostatic bearing system is configured to utilize the first fluid in the first groove to apply an axial force against the first end face to block and/or reduce contact between the cylindrical rotor and the first end cover. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrostatic bearing system comprises a radial hydrostatic bearing system configured to resist radial displacement of the cylindrical rotor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the radial hydrostatic bearing system is configured to apply a radial force to the cylindrical rotor to align the rotational axis of the cylindrical rotor with a central axis of the hydraulic transfer system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , the first end cover defining an axial aperture that extends into the first surface, wherein the axial aperture and the aperture fluidly connect within the first end cover, wherein the aperture is configured to receive the bearing fluid and direct the bearing fluid to the axial aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein an outlet of the axial aperture is within the first groove. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture extends radially through the first end cover. 
     
     
         12 . A system, comprising:
 a hydraulic transfer system configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein the first fluid has a first pressure and the second fluid has a second pressure, and wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure, comprising:
 a cylindrical rotor configured to rotate circumferentially about a rotational axis, the cylindrical rotor defining a first end face and a second end face, wherein the first end face is opposite the second end face; and 
 a hydrostatic bearing system configured to utilize a bearing fluid at a pressure higher than the second pressure of the second fluid to resist axial displacement, radial displacement, or both axial and radial displacement of the cylindrical rotor, the hydrostatic bearing system comprises:
 a first end cover comprising a first surface that interfaces with the first end face of the cylindrical rotor and a first circumferential side surface, the first end cover defines a first plurality of axial apertures that extend into the first surface and a first plurality of radial apertures that extend into the first circumferential side surface, wherein the first plurality of axial apertures fluidly connect to the first plurality of radial apertures within the first end cover, wherein the first plurality of radial apertures are configured to receive the bearing fluid and direct the bearing fluid to the first plurality of axial apertures. 
 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of axial apertures are circumferentially spaced about the first surface. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of axial apertures are equally spaced from a central axis of the first end cover. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of axial apertures fluidly connects to a respective radial aperture of the first plurality of radial apertures. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , comprising a second end cover comprising a second surface that interfaces with the second end face of the cylindrical rotor, the second end cover defines a second plurality of axial apertures that extend into the second surface and a second plurality of radial apertures that extend into a second circumferential side surface, wherein the second plurality of axial apertures fluidly connect to the second plurality of radial apertures within the second end cover, wherein the second plurality of radial apertures are configured to receive the bearing fluid and direct the bearing fluid to the second plurality of axial apertures. 
     
     
         17 . A rotary isobaric pressure exchanger configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein the first fluid has a first pressure and the second fluid has a second pressure, and wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure, the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger comprising:
 a cylindrical rotor configured to rotate circumferentially about a rotational axis, the cylindrical rotor defining a first end face and a second end face, wherein the first end face is opposite the second end face;   a hydrostatic bearing system configured to utilize a bearing fluid at a pressure higher than the second pressure of the second fluid to resist axial displacement, radial displacement, or both axial and radial displacement of the cylindrical rotor, the hydrostatic bearing system comprises:
 a first end cover comprising a first surface that interfaces with the first end face of the cylindrical rotor and a first circumferential side surface, the first end cover defines a first plurality of axial apertures that extend into the first surface and a first plurality of radial apertures that extend into the first circumferential side surface, wherein the first plurality of axial apertures fluidly connect to the first plurality of radial apertures within the first end cover, wherein the first plurality of radial apertures are configured to receive the bearing fluid and direct the bearing fluid to the first plurality of axial apertures; and 
 a second end cover comprising a second surface that interfaces with the second end face of the cylindrical rotor, the second end cover defines a second plurality of axial apertures that extend into the second surface and a second plurality of radial apertures that extend into a second circumferential side surface, wherein the second plurality of axial apertures fluidly connect to the second plurality of radial apertures within the second end cover, wherein the second plurality of radial apertures are configured to receive the bearing fluid and direct the bearing fluid to the second plurality of axial apertures. 
   
     
     
         18 . The rotary isobaric pressure exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein the first surface of the first end cover defines a first plurality of grooves wherein an outlet of each aperture of the first plurality of axial apertures is within a respective groove of the first plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         19 . The rotary isobaric pressure exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein the second surface of the second end cover defines a second plurality of grooves wherein an outlet of each aperture of the second plurality of axial apertures is within a respective groove of the second plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         20 . The rotary isobaric pressure exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein the hydrostatic bearing system comprises a radial hydrostatic bearing system configured to resist radial displacement of the cylindrical rotor.