# The effect of recess number and conical shape on hydrostatic bearing power losses

## TL;DR

This paper studies how the number and shape of recesses in hydrostatic bearings affect power losses.

## Contribution

The study introduces a numerical analysis of recess shape effects on hydrostatic bearing power losses.

## Key findings

- The number of recesses significantly impacts power losses in hydrostatic bearings.
- The shape of recesses also has a notable effect on power losses and film thicknesses.

## Abstract

Axial loads on machinery are commonly carried by hydrostatic thrust bearings. To ensure sustained performance, designers need to balance the requirement for efficient pumping power with the high load-carrying capacity. This requirement is a common challenge. For the purpose of studying the pumping power losses of hydrostatic thrust bearings, this research presents a numerical analysis of the recess shape design effect. The ANSYS workbench software has been used to implement the numerical simulation. Rectangular and circular pockets with two and four recesses are analyzed for power losses and film thicknesses using FVM and the Navier–Stokes equations. Study results indicated that the number and shape of recesses had a significant effect on power losses.