Porous gas bearing

A refrigerant circuit, comprising:

• a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator fluidly connected,
• wherein the compressor includes a shaft, the shaft being supported by a porous gas bearing, the porous gas bearing including:
• a housing having a fluid inlet and an aperture;
• a porous surface layer disposed within the housing surrounding the aperture in a circumferential direction, the porous surface layer including a plurality of segments arranged in a longitudinal direction of the aperture, the porous surface layer in fluid communication with the fluid inlet;
• and
• a damping system including a plurality of dampers, the plurality of dampers being disposed circumferentially about the aperture in the housing, wherein the plurality of dampers are arranged in between a first segment of the plurality of segments of the porous surface layer and a second segment of the plurality of segments of the porous surface layer.

A centrifugal compressor, comprising:

• a shaft that rotates;
• and
• a porous gas bearing, the porous gas bearing including:
• a housing having a fluid inlet and an aperture;
• a porous surface layer disposed within the housing surrounding the aperture in a circumferential direction, the porous surface layer including a plurality of segments arranged in a longitudinal direction of the aperture, the porous surface layer in fluid communication with the fluid inlet;
• and
• a damping system including a plurality of dampers, the plurality of dampers being disposed circumferentially about the aperture in the housing, wherein the plurality of dampers are arranged in between a first segment of the plurality of segments of the porous surface layer and a second segment of the plurality of segments of the porous surface layer.