Numerical calculation and experimental verification of static and dynamic characteristics of aerostatic thrust bearings with small feedholes

In this work, aerostatic annular thrust bearings with feedholes of less than 0.05 mm in diameter are considered, and the static and dynamic characteristics of these bearings are investigated experimentally and numerically. In numerical calculations using the finite difference method (FDM), the discharge coefficients of a small feedhole were determined based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software and verified experimentally. In addition, the effect of the bearing surface roughness on the bearing characteristics was analyzed experimentally and numerically. It was confirmed that aerostatic thrust bearings with small feedholes could have larger stiffness and damping coefficient than bearings with compound restrictors.

► Aerostatic thrust bearings with small feedholes have an excellent bearing performance.
► Surface roughness of aerostatic thrust bearings largely affects on the bearing characteristics.
► CFD calculations could predict well the experimental volume flow rate through a small feedhole.