Retention of ball bearing cartridge for turbomachinery

A method comprising:

• positioning a bearing cartridge in a substantially cylindrical bore of a housing having a longitudinal axis, an inner diameter exceeding an outer diameter of the outer race, a proximate end and a distal end;
• limiting axial movement of the outer race at the distal end of the cylindrical bore with a counterbore of the housing, the counterbore substantially coaxial to the cylindrical bore and having an inner diameter less than the outer diameter of the outer race;
• limiting axial movement of the outer race at the proximate end of the cylindrical bore with a plate positioned substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis;
• limiting rotation of the outer race with a pin positioned in a pin opening accessible via a lubricant drain and received via an opening in the outer race having an axial dimension that avoids transmitting axial thrust loads from the outer race to the pin;
• providing a lubricant passage extending from a well of the outer race for directing lubricant to bearings of the bearing cartridge;
• providing annular clearances between the outer race and the bore configured to form a pair of lubricant films to limit radial freedom of the bearing cartridge in the bore and to form at least one lubricant film to damp vibrations of the bearing cartridge in the bore;
• and
• providing a transition region between each of the annular clearances that forms a respective one of the pair of lubricant films to limit radial freedom and one of the annular clearances that forms at least one of the at least one lubricant film to damp vibrations.