Numerical analysis of stiffness of self-acting air bearings of various curvatures

Self-acting air bearings are increasingly used in supporting small high-spe ed rotating bodies. In this study we report on the effects of design parame ters em the anal stiffness of spiral-grooved air bearings of various curvat ures. The design parameters selected in this study include fundamental clea rance, groove depth, and bearing number. Coordinate transformation is perfo rmed to deal effectively with bearings of various curvatures. The pressure distribution at the gap between the stator and rotor of the bearing is obta ined numerically, and the axial load and the, stiffness of the bearing are calculated from the pressure distribution results.