Dry gas thrust bearing for use in rotating equipment

A dry gas thrust bearing for use in rotating equipment, said thrust bearing comprising:

• a double symmetrical rotating arrangement that includes a shaft mounted rotor which is formed as an annular radial flange projecting radially from said shaft, said rotor having opposed bearing faces which face in opposite axial directions;
• and
• said thrust bearing further including a pair of thrust ring stators which include respective bearing faces which face axially towards said rotor bearing faces, wherein during shaft rotation, said rotor bearing faces rotate relative to the stator bearing faces, said stators being axially movable relative to said rotor and including biasing means formed as a spring package which biases said stators towards said rotor bearing faces, said biasing means being formed in a double spring arrangement which acts on a respective back face of each said stator to normally bias each said stator toward the rotor while still permitting each said stator to move axially away from the rotor.