Nonaxisymmetric flow between an air table and a floating disk

Steady flow in the thin air cushion that supports a disk floating above an air table is examined. The flow is assumed to be of similarity form, and a new, nonaxisymmetric flow is found, in addition to the well-known axisymmetric flow. In the limit of large air-injection rate, the new flow becomes approximately axisymmetric in the bulk, nonaxisymmetric effects being confined to the boundary layer near the disk. For a given air-injection rate and air-cushion thickness, the nonaxisymmetric flow can support a greater weight than can the axisymmetric flow.