CFD Analysis of a Simple Orifice-Type Feeding System for Aerostatic Bearings

A numerical analysis on the feeding system of externally pressurised gas bearings, for the correction of the theoretical mass flow rate formula by means of a discharge coefficient, is presented. A flat aerostatic pad with a simple orifice-type feeding system was chosen as case on study, the authors having previously carried out experimental tests on such a prototype. Using the commercial CFD code ANSYS Fluent^®, preliminary simulations were carried out on a pad’s geometry using three different flow models. Having selected the flow model able to give the best prediction of the pad’s behaviour in terms of pressure distribution along the air film, additional simulations were carried out on pads with two different diameters of the supply hole, varying the film thickness in a range from 9 to 14 μm. A comparison between numerical and experimental results is presented. In addition, the effect of the flow intake used to perform experimental tests and of the shape of the orifice’s external edge on pressure distribution is analysed.