Patent attributes
An electrical submersible pumping system includes thrust bearings and radial bearings fabricated from a micro-grained polycrystalline diamond compact (“USPCD”) material that is ultra-strong; and where the USPCD is produced using a catalyst free process. In examples, all components of the bearings are formed from the ultra-strong USPCD material. Pads are in the bearings that have a contact surface, and the pads selectively tilt about a tilt member in response to variations in an opposing contact surface. The tilt members are attached to or otherwise associated with the pads, and are in contact with a resilient member that improves tilting response of the pads. The resilient members are encased in jackets that cover surfaces of the resilient members not in contact with the tilt members. The jackets are set in channels formed in structure of the bearings.
