Static Characteristics of a Hydrostatic Thrust Bearing with a Self-controlled Restrictor using a Floating Disk

Abstract

A new type of self-controlled restrictor using a floating disk is proposed to obtain a very high stiffness in a hydrostatic bearing. This new type restrictor can control the mass flow rate of an operating fluid by using only a balance of the forces exerted on both sides of the disk in contrast with a conventional diaphragm-type self-controlled restrictor which uses an elastic deformation of a diaphragm. Here, the static characteristics of a hydrostatic thrust bearing with this new type restrictor are theoretically and experimentally investigated. It was shown that the hydrostatic thrust bearing has a very high stiffness (nearly infinite stiffness) in a very wide range of imposed load.