Stability Analysis of an Externally Pressurized Gas-Lubricated Porous Thrust Bearing

A linear stability analysis is carried out for a porous thrust bearing considering only the axially symmetric mode of oscillation. It is found that the stability characteristics of the bearing are determined by three competing mechanisms, namely, the compressibility of the lubricant, the mass of the bearing, and the viscous resistance to the thin film flow. To avoid pneumatic hammer, the bearing should be designed to be light weight and to operate at the smallest possible film thickness and supply pressure.