Shaft load balancing system

A shaft load balancing system, comprising:

• a housing;
• a partition within the housing defining a first chamber at a first pressure and a second chamber at a second pressure, wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure;
• a fluid reservoir disposed in the housing;
• a shaft extending from the first chamber into the second chamber, the shaft having a first end in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir, and a second end;
• a substantially axial channel disposed in the shaft between the first end and the second end;
• and
• a reaction member disposed in the second chamber engaging the second end, wherein fluid from the fluid reservoir forced through the channel contacts the reaction member and generates a force on the second end approximately equal to a pressure-induced force on the first end.

A system for balancing axial shaft loads, the system comprising:

• a housing;
• a partition within the housing defining a low pressure chamber and a high pressure chamber;
• a fluid reservoir disposed in the high pressure chamber;
• a rotatable shaft extending from the low pressure chamber into the high pressure chamber through the partition, the shaft comprising:
• a first end disposed in the high pressure chamber in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir;
• a second end disposed in the low pressure chamber;
• and
• a channel extending substantially axially through the shaft between the first end and the second end;
• and
• a reaction member sealed with respect to the shaft, the reaction member forming a compression volume adjacent to the second end, such that fluid entering the compression volume from the channel creates an axial force on the second end approximately equal to a pressure-induced force on the first end.