Hydrodynamics of Wire-Drum Contact

The hydrodynamics of a wire-drum contact is analyzed using theoretical techniques developed in foil bearing studies. Analytical solutions and numerical solutions are obtained. Results show that: when for a given minimum film thickness the wire tension increases, the pressure arc extent decreases and reaches a minimum for certain wire tension level; the pressure distribution is independent of wire tension for large values of tension; and the active pressure zone depends strongly on film thickness.