Analysis and Design of Spiral-Groove Bearings

Abstract

The paper starts with a brief description of the history of the spiral-groove bearing. All previous authors based their considerations on a recurrent pattern of parallel straight grooves, for which Whipple gave an approximate solution which has served as the basis for practically all further theoretical work. The agreement between the theory based on this model and the real spiral-groove bearing is rather poor. In the present paper, the author describes how he found a method of calculation which applies directly to a real spiral-groove bearing with logarithmic spirals, working with an incompressible medium. This theory also takes the end effects into account. Following on this, dimensionless graphs and tables are given for the most commonly occurring types of spiral-groove bearings in such a form that they can be used directly for design purposes.