Influence of Operating Temperature on the Static Characteristics of an Externally Pressurized Thrust Bearing Lubricated with Refrigerant Gas

The viscous heat of gas bearings and heat generated by the motor cause a large temperature difference between the bearing surface and lubricating gas influencing the bearing performance in gas-bearing applications. This study investigated the effects of the bearing surface temperature and supply gas temperature on the static characteristics of a six-orifice externally pressurized gas thrust bearing under air, CO₂, and R22 lubrication, numerically and experimentally. The results show that the load increases as the bearing surface temperature increases, while the static stiffness increases at first but decreases later. In contrast, the load and static stiffness decrease with increasing supply gas temperature. The findings can provide insights on designing gas bearings using refrigerant gases.