Balance drum for a rotating machine

A method, comprising:

• operating a rotating machine that comprises:
• a housing that comprises a suction inlet and a discharge outlet, the housing defining a volume that comprises a flow path;
• a shaft positioned in the volume and coupled to a prime mover;
• at least one impeller mounted on the shaft;
• and
• a balance drum mounted on the shaft, the balance drum comprising:
• an outer ring,
• an inner disk that comprises a bore that receives the shaft, and
• a turbine assembly connected between an outer edge of the inner disk and an inner edge of the outer ring, the turbine assembly comprising a plurality of blades that extend between the outer edge of the inner disk and the inner edge of the outer ring and define a plurality of apertures therebetween;
• transporting a working fluid through the suction inlet and into the flow path;
• transporting the working fluid through the flow path with the at least one impeller based on a rotational force supplied to the shaft from the prime mover;
• rotating the at least one impeller and the balance drum with the shaft based on the rotational force supplied to by the shaft from the prime mover;
• transporting at least a portion of the working fluid axially through the plurality of apertures of the turbine assembly;
• transporting the portion of the working fluid from the turbine assembly to one of the suction inlet or the discharge outlet;
• generating, with the balance drum rotating with on the shaft, an axial thrust force based on a differential pressure between a first axial face of the balance drum and a second axial face of the balance drum opposite the first axial face of the balance drum caused by the transporting of the portion of the working fluid axially through the plurality of apertures of the turbine assembly;
• and
• conserving an amount of fluid power based on the transporting of the portion of the working fluid axially through the plurality of apertures of the turbine assembly.

A balance drum for a rotating machine, the rotating machine comprising a housing that comprises a suction inlet and a discharge outlet, and the balance drum comprising:

• an outer ring;
• an inner disk that comprises a bore configured to receive a shaft;
• and
• a turbine assembly connected between an outer edge of the inner disk and an inner edge of the outer ring, the turbine assembly comprising a plurality of blades that extend between the outer edge of the inner disk and the inner edge of the outer ring and define a plurality of apertures therebetween, wherein
• the turbine assembly is rotatable with on the shaft in response to a rotational force supplied to the shaft from a prime mover,
• the balance drum is configured to generate an axial thrust force in response to a differential pressure between a first axial face of the balance drum and a second axial face of the balance drum opposite the first axial face of the balance drum caused by axially transporting of a working fluid through the plurality of apertures of the turbine assembly, and
• the balance drum is configured to conserve an amount of fluid power based on a flow of the working fluid through the plurality of apertures of the turbine assembly.