The effect of the number of recesses on the performance of externally pressurized multirecess journal bearings

Abstract Results for multirecess externally pressurized journal bearings over a range from the practical minimum of a three recess bearing to a ten recess bearing, for both orifice and capillary control, are presented. The choice of the number of recesses is a compromise between load, stiffness and directional effects and the cost and complexity of the supply system. Although the directionality effects of the three recess bearing make it virtually useless for design purposes, the commonly used four recess bearing is not necessarily the best compromise, and the little used five recess bearing has particularly good directional properties.