The paper considers the quasi-stationary motion of a viscous compressible fluid in the gap of a thrust bearing with a nonlinear contour of the support surface of the slider. It is assumed that the slider is stationary, and the guide with the molten surface moves in the direction of narrowing the gap at a time-dependent speed. Well-known equations are used for the solution: the equation of motion of a compressible fluid, the equation of continuity, the equation of state and the equation describing the profile of the molten contour of the support ring. The case is considered for the extreme and non-extreme case, that is, when the parameter of the specific heat of melting tends to infinity and vice versa. As a result of an accurate self–similar solution, the main operational characteristics are determined - velocity and pressure fields, load capacity and friction force. The problem of the stability of the movement of the support ring is also solved. The final stage of theoretical calculation methods is numerical analysis.The analysis of its results showed that the modified design of the thrust sliding bearing, taking into account additional factors, has a bearing capacity value exceeding the standard designs by 8-11% in the range of load-speed modes studied. The coefficient of friction is reduced by 9-13%.
Keywords: quasi-stationary flow, extreme case, metal coating, non-standard support profile, hydrodynamic mode, stability of the guide movement