Process fluid lubrication of thrust bearings is an attractive solution to reliability issues for Electric Submersible Pumps (ESPs). This test rig is built to qualify the performance of thrust bearings in process fluid lubrication, with or without contamination. The current rig is capable of testing bearings up to 11 inches in diameter at speeds up to 6600 rpm under load conditions up to 40 kN. Important measurements attainable from this rig include torque, power consumption, film thickness, applied load, and bearing pad temperature.
