Abstract
The first section of this paper is concerned with the description of a hydrostatic bearing when compensated by passive orifice or capillary type restrictor. In the second section a survey of the various types of active restrictors is outlined. Active restrictors considered include the constant flow valve, integral control valve, diaphragm controlled restrictor, and the tapered spool controller. A comparison of the film stiffness and power requirements for actively and passively compensated hydrostatic bearings is given in the third section of this paper, with the particular aim to facilitate, for the designer, the choice of the most suitable restrictor for any particular application.