Theoretical analysis of the slip flow effect on gas-lubricated micro spherical spiral groove bearings for machinery gyroscope

The performance of a gas-lubricated micro spherical spiral groove bearing (MSSGB) with slip flow effect is investigated. A modified Reynolds equation incorporated with Barber’s first-order slip flow model is proposed to investigate the flow characteristics of gas in MSSGBs. Parameter transformation and oblique coordinate transformation are applied to eliminate the curve effect on the calculation domain. An improved finite difference method (FDM) based on Green’s formula is used to solve the Reynolds equation. The perturbation method is adopted to determine the dynamic coefficients. The effects of slip flow and bearing parameters, including the groove depths, rotor speeds, and eccentricity ratios, on the bearing characteristics are investigated and discussed. Prediction results show that the slip flow effect on MSSGB performance is significant. Moreover, the groove depth at micro clearance has a crucial influence on bearing performance.