Abstract
This paper proposes a method to calculate the characteristics of a coupled hydrodynamic journal and thrust bearing of a HDD spindle motor. The governing equations for the journal and thrust bearings are the two dimensional Reynolds equations in $\theta z$ and $ r\theta$ planes, respectively. Finite element method is appropriately applied to analyze the coupled journal and thrust bearing by satisfying the continuity of mass and pressure at the interface between the journal and thrust bearings. The pressure in a coupled bearing is calculated by applying the Reynolds boundary condition and compared with that by using the Half-Sommerfeld boundary condition. The static characteristics are obtained by integrating the pressure along the fluid film. The flying height of spindle motor is measured to verify the proposed analytical result. This research shows that the proposed method can describe HDB in a HDD system more accurately and realistically than the separate analysis of a journal or thrust bearing.
