Method for energy-saving, low-wear operation of a gas bearing

Abstract

A method () for operating a gas bearing (), wherein the gas bearing is formed by a rotor () and a stator (), wherein when there is rotation against a stator () with a lift-off rotational speed nthe rotor () changes from mixed friction with the stator () into fluid friction with a medium () located between the stator () and the rotor (), wherein the rotational speed of the rotor () is kept at or above an idling rotational speed n, wherein—in response to a first information item (), on the basis of which a change ΔF is to be expected in the acceleration forces F acting on the gas bearing (), a new value of a safety factor r:=n/nbetween the idling rotational speed nand the lift-off rotational speed nis determined (), and/or—in response to a second information item (), on the basis of which a change Δnis to be expected in the lift-off rotational speed n, a new value nis determined for the lift-off rotational speed n(), wherein the idling rotational speed nof the gas bearing () is adapted to the changed value of the safety factor r, and/or to the changed value nof the lift-off rotational speed n, (). The invention further relates to an associated computer program.