Centrifugal pump assemblies having an axial flux electric motor and methods of assembly thereof

A pump assembly comprising:

• a pump housing;
• a motor housing coupled to said pump housing;
• an electric motor assembly comprising:
• a stator assembly;
• a rotor assembly positioned adjacent said stator assembly to define an axial gap therebetween, wherein said stator assembly imparts a first axial force on said rotor assembly;
• a bearing assembly comprising a rotating member having a stepped radial portion coupled directly to a rotor disk of said rotor assembly opposite said stator assembly, wherein said stepped radial portion is aligned with two inner surfaces of the rotor disk of said rotor assembly along an axis of rotation;
• and
• a stationary member positioned radially outward of said rotating member, wherein said rotating member comprises an axial portion positioned within an opening of said stationary member, wherein said axial portion is a radially innermost component of said electric motor assembly;
• and
• an impeller directly coupled to said rotor assembly opposite said stator assembly such that said rotor assembly and said impeller are configured to rotate about the axis of rotation, wherein a fluid channeled by said impeller imparts a second axial force on said impeller.

A method of assembling a pump assembly, said method comprising:

• providing a stator assembly;
• magnetically coupling a rotor assembly to the stator assembly such that an axial gap is defined therebetween, wherein the stator assembly imparts a first axial force on the rotor assembly;
• coupling a stepped radial portion of a rotating component of a bearing assembly directly to the rotor assembly such that the stepped radial portion of the rotating component is aligned with two inner surfaces of the rotor assembly along an axis of rotation;
• coupling a stationary component radially outward of the rotating component, wherein the rotating component includes an axial portion positioned within an opening of the stationary component, wherein the axial portion is the radially innermost component of the pump assembly;
• and
• coupling an impeller directly to the rotor assembly opposite the stator assembly such that the rotor assembly and the impeller are configured to rotate about the axis of rotation, wherein a fluid channeled by the impeller is configured to impart a second axial force on the impeller.