Numerical analysis of discharge coefficients in aerostatic bearings with orifice-type restrictors

Determining film pressure by solving the Reynolds equation is more effective than conducting bearing experiments or computational fluid dynamics simulations. The Reynolds equation can be solved easily in a numerical model; however, the accuracy of each model is dominated by the orifice discharge coefficient. This study compared two orifice flow models in inherent orifice restrictors and investigated the influences of geometry and flow parameters on the discharge coefficient. The results indicate that both orifice flow models can be used in inherent orifice restrictors, and the discharge coefficient of orifice-type restrictors is sensitive to the orifice diameter and film thickness.