Finite Element Analysis of the Coupled Journal and Thrust Bearing in a Computer Hard Disk Drive

This paper proposes a method to calculate the characteristics of a coupled fluid dynamic journal and thrust bearing of a hard disk drive (HDD) spindle motor. The governing equations for the journal and thrust bearings are the two-dimensional Reynolds equations in the $θz$ and $rθ$ planes, respectively. The finite element method is appropriately applied to analyze the coupled bearing under the conditions of the continuity of mass and pressure at the interface between the journal and thrust bearings. The pressure in the coupled bearing was calculated by applying the Reynolds boundary condition. The validity of this application was verified by comparing the analytical results of the flying height at various rotating speeds with experimental results. The characteristics of the coupled journal and thrust bearing were also investigated due to the Reynolds and Half-Sommerfeld boundary conditions and the coupled and separate analysis. This research demonstrates that the proposed method can accurately and realistically describe the coupled fluid dynamic bearing in a HDD system.