Assembly for compensating axial forces in a rotating flow machine and a multi-stage centrifugal pump

An assembly for compensating axial forces in a rotating flow machine, comprising:

• a housing;
• a shaft rotatably arranged to the housing;
• a rotationally symmetrical balancing part arranged to and coaxially with the shaft in the housing;
• the balancing part having a first axial end and a second axial end;
• a first mechanical slide ring sealing arranged between the balancing part and the housing at the first axial end;
• a second mechanical slide ring sealing arranged between the balancing part and the housing at the second axial end,
• the first and the second mechanical slide ring sealings arranged so as to seal an intermediate space, extending axially between the mechanical slide ring sealings, the intermediate space being bordered by the slide ring sealings, the balancing part and the housing;
• and
• a first fluid communication port opening into the intermediate space,
• the first fluid communication port being connected to a source of pressurized barrier fluid, and the first axial end has a first radius and the second axial end has a second radius, the first radius being equal to the second radius.