Structure Optimization of Aerostatic Thrust Bearing Based on Air Film Pressure Field Characteristics Analysis

Abstract

The air film pressure field (AFPF) of aerostatic thrust bearings significantly determines the working performance of the bearings, and the characteristics of AFPF are closely related to the bearing structure parameters. This study carried out the structure optimization of aerostatic thrust bearing based on the analysis of the AFPF characteristics. The influence law of the number, distribution and the outlet shape of the orifices, as well as the bearing diameter on the static performance of the bearing was investigated. The relationship between bearing structural parameters, AFPF characteristics and bearing static performance was established and effectively used for the structure optimization of aerostatic thrust bearing. The simulation results were verified by the experiment. The results show that the static performance analysis of the aerostatic thrust bearing based on the AFPF characteristics can effectively provide a theoretical basis for the design and optimization of the bearing structure, and improve the bearing performance.

Keywords:

• Aerostatic thrust bearing
• air film pressure field
• static performance
• structure optimization

Declaration of interest statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. LY22E050003), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51705462 and 51975532), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Provincial Universities of Zhejiang (Grant No. RF-A2020005), the Open Fund of Key Laboratory of Special Purpose Equipment and Advanced Processing Technology, Ministry of Education and Zhejiang Province (Grant No. EM2021120102).