The present work studies the problem of the flow field around the
inlet section in the
case of a plane slider bearing with upstream free surface. In order to
determine the
pressure head build-up, the inlet region of the bearing can be studied
by considering
a rigid plane sheet (pad) parallel to a plane wall (guide) which slides
at a steady speed
in a viscous incompressible fluid. The mathematical model described is
based on the
application of the theory of analytic functions. Through Dini's equation,
which relates
the real and the complex part of any analytic function, defined on the
boundary of
a domain, it is possible to determine the distribution of pressure on this
boundary
and the geometry of the free surface. In this way the problem is formally
solved;
however, it is difficult to obtain the solution because the thickness of
the free surface
is unknown. It would be possible to adopt an iterative method but the great
difficulty
associated with this method of solution induced the authors to follow a
simplified
technique. Through this study it was possible to determine the pressure
build-up at
the inlet; this quantity is the essential boundary condition to evaluate
the actual load
capacity of a slider bearing.