Simple orifice restrictor sizing

Cross-section area and diameter of a simple orifice restrictor for a gas bearing, from the required flow rate and supply/restrictor/ambient pressures.

✓ validated against legacyoriginal: /engineering-abc/calculators/d_orifice.htm
Total cross-section area, A0.008961880959507977 10⁻⁶ m²
Orifice diameter, d0.10682050942049781 10⁻³ m

Flow rate is at normal (ambient) pressure p_A. The restrictor pressure ratio p_R/p_S is clamped to the choked-flow limit (0.53) if entered lower — flow through the orifice cannot exceed sonic velocity.

Method & references

  • Gas properties (η, R, ρ, κ): Table 14.1, p. 415.
  • Discharge coefficient C_d(d/l): eq. 14.2, p. 416.

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

Simple orifice restrictor sizing — Engineering ABC