A Study on Angular Stiffness and Damping Properties of Externally Pressurized Gas Thrust Bearing with Surface-restriction Compensation

Abstract

An externally pressurized gas-lubricated thrust bearing with surface-restriction compensation is analyzed theoretically for an angular displacement scheme applying an equivalent clearance model, which considers an equivalent recessed thrust bearing neglecting the local flow components in the bearing clearance, yielding angular stiffness and damping coefficient. The experimental results coincide well with the theoretical ones, which may justify the theoretical flow model. The design criterion of the bearing with surface-restriction compensation is also discussed from the results of theoretical calculations for angular stiffness and damping coefficient.