Large eddy simulation of vortex shedding and pressure fluctuation in aerostatic bearings

In aerostatic bearings, high speed air flow may induce small vibration, which has been harmful to the improvement of moving and positioning accuracy of aerostatically supported devices in ultra-precision applications. In this paper, the transient flow field in the aerostatic bearing is numerically investigated using the large eddy simulation method. Turbulent structures are studied and vortex shedding phenomenon is discovered in the bearing recess. Our computational results demonstrate that vortex shedding causes pressure fluctuation in the bearing clearance. Relationship between pressure fluctuation and bearing vibration is established based on our simulation results and experimentally measured vibration strength. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.