The design of high efficiency flat pad aerostatic bearings using laminar restrictions

The design of flat pad aerostatic bearings is examined to determine the best inlet arrangement to achieve high load capacity. The paper shows that like all other forms of aerostatic bearings, the optimum selection of supply to inlet pressure (K_g) and the optimum position of inlet devices can be achieved. The paper demonstrates a relatively new type of inlet geometry — the capillary inlet slot. Both single thrust pad and opposed flat pad bearings arrangements are examined. A theoretical analysis of the flat pad arrangements has been developed using a finite difference approach previously adopted for the analysis of externally pressurized journal bearing arrangements¹.