Engineering ABC

Calculators · Hydrostatic bearings

Hydrostatic journal bearing, multi-recess — fixed reference geometry

Reference-geometry calculator (60mm shaft diameter, L/D=1, 50 bar supply pressure — all fixed, matching the original) for an externally pressurized journal bearing with 4 or 5 pockets and a choice of capillary, orifice or fixed-flow restrictor.

✓ validated against legacyoriginal: /calculators/c11_5.htm
Hydrostatic journal bearing, multi-recess — fixed reference geometry — original diagram from /calculators/c11_5.htm
Effective bearing area ratio, Aₑ/A0.36139376029327763
Dimensionless load capacity, F'0.2710453202199582
Dimensionless stiffness, S'0.5420906404399164
Dimensionless flow, Q'1.7138642178632644
Axial/tangential flow ratio, γ'0
Load capacity, F (ε=0.5)4.879 10³ N
Radial bearing stiffness, S325 10⁶ N/m
Flow rate, Q20.82 liter/hr
Pump power, N28.92 W

The legacy "please login" demo lock froze THREE values together (shaft diameter, length ratio and supply pressure) to these exact defaults. Per docs/phase6/OWNER-DECISIONS-BACKLOG.md K4, this fixed geometry is kept exactly as in the original and only the inputs that were already free under the lock are exposed. Generalizing it is a deliberate future decision for Anton, not made here.

Method & references

  • Externally pressurized (hydrostatic) journal bearing with 4 or 5 pockets.
  • Configuration II allows circumferential flow between pockets — slightly lower stiffness but significantly lower flow rate than configuration I.
  • FIXED GEOMETRY: shaft diameter D = 60 mm, length ratio L/D = 1, supply pressure pₛ = 50 bar — the original demo lock froze these three values simultaneously.

The computation is a literal port of the original client-side JavaScript from /calculators/c11_5.htm. Results are verified equal to the original by an automated golden-master test. No formula has been re-derived or “improved”.

Hydrostatic journal bearing, multi-recess — fixed reference geometry — Engineering ABC