Narrow Bearing Approximate Solutions for Air-lubricated Slider Bearings in Sub-micron Spacing

Abstract

This paper presents closed form narrow bearing approximate solutions of the incompressible Reynolds equation applicable to estimating the static and dynamic behaviors of sub-micron slider bearings used in a current disk storage unit. General trends of the static and dynamic characteristics of slider bearings are discussed from these narrow bearing solutions, considering a slip flow effect. By comparing these analytical solutions with numerical results calculated from a generalized compressible Reynolds equation, the valid regions of these solutions are clarified in connection with the slider width to length ratio and compressibility parameters. As a result, it is shown that the film fore can be estimated quantitatively for a sub-micron slider bearing whose width to length ratio and bearing number are smaller than 0.1 and 10 respectively.