BELT DRIVE
Belt drive is a mechanism in which power is transmitted by the movement of
continuous flexible belt.
❖ It is used to transmit power over considerable distance between the axes of driving and
driven shafts.
❖ The operation of belt drive is smooth and silent
❖ They can only transmit a definite load, which if exceed, will cause the belt to slip over
the pulley, thus protecting the parts of the drive against overload.
❖ They have the ability to absorb the shocks and damp vibration
❖ They are simple to design
❖ They have low initial cost
❖ Belt drive mainly used in electric motors, automobiles, machine tools and conveyors
Disadvantage
❖ Large dimensions and occupy more space
❖ Velocity ratio is not constant due to belt slip
❖ They impose heavy loads on shaft and bearing
❖ There is considerable loss of power resulting in low efficiency
❖ Belt drives have comparatively short service life
On the basis of cross section, belts are classified:
Flat belts: The flat belt is mostly used in the factories and workshops, where a moderate
amount of power is to be transmitted, from one pulley to another when the two pulleys are not
more than 8 meters apart.
V-belts: The V-belt is mostly used in the factories and workshops, where a great amount of
power is to be transmitted, from one pulley to another, when the two pulleys are very near to
each other.
Desirable properties of belt material:
❖ should have high coefficient of friction with the pulley
❖ should have high tensile strength to withstand belt tension
❖ should have high wear resistance
❖ should have high flexibility and low rigidity in bending in order to avoid bending stresses
while passing over the pulley
❖ leather belt and fabric lather belt
Open belt:
The open belt drive is used with shafts arranged parallel and rotating in the same direction. In
this case, the driver A pulls the belt from one side (i.e. lower side RQ) and delivers it to the other
side (i.e. upper side LM). Thus the tension in the lower side belt will be more than that in the
upper side belt. The lower side belt (because of more tension) is known as tight side whereas the
upper side belt (because of less tension) is known as slack side
Crossed or twist belt drive: The crossed or twist belt drive is used with shafts arranged
parallel and rotating in the opposite directions. In this case, the driver pulls the belt from one side
(i.e. RQ) and delivers it to the other side (i.e. LM). Thus, the tension in the belt RQ will be more
than that in the belt LM. The belt RQ (because of more tension) is known as tight side, whereas
the belt LM (because of less tension) is known as slack side.
Following are the various important factors upon which the selection of a belt drive
depends:
❖ speed of the driving and driven shafts
❖ speed reduction ratio
❖ power to be transmitted
❖ center distance between the shafts
❖ positive drive requirement
❖ shaft layout
❖ space available
❖ service condition
Design of Flat belt drive
Following parameter should have available for design purpose:
⮚ power (kw)
⮚ Input speed (rpm)
⮚ Output speed (rpm)
⮚ Diameter of pulley (mm)
⮚ Center distance (mm)
⮚ Belt velocity (m/s)
⮚ Service condition
⮚ Data book
CREEP OF BELT
SLIP OF BELT
Note:
❖ While determining the angle of contact, it must be remembered that it is the angle of
contact at the smaller pulley, if both the pulleys are of the same material.
❖ When the pulleys are made of different material (i.e. when the coefficient of friction of
the pulleys or the angle of contact are different), then the design will refer to the pulley
for which μθ is small.
CENTRIFUGAL TENSION
Since the belt continuously runs over the pulleys, therefore, some centrifugal force is caused,
whose effect is to increase the tension on both the tight as well as the slack sides. The tension
caused by centrifugal force is called centrifugal tension. At lower belt speeds (less than 10 m/s),
the centrifugal tension is very small, but at higher belt speeds (more than 10 m/s), its effect is
considerable and thus should be taken into account.
Note: It shows that when the power transmitted is maximum, 1/3rd of the maximum tension is
absorbed as centrifugal tension.
Q1. A compressor, requiring 90 kW, is to run at about 250 r.p.m. The drive is by
V-belts from an electric motor running at 750 r.p.m. The diameter of the pulley on
the compressor shaft must not be greater than 1 meter while the center distance
between the pulleys is limited to 1.75 meter. The belt speed should not exceed
1600 m / min. Determine the number of V-belts required to transmit the power if
each belt has a cross-sectional area of 375 mm2, density 1000 kg / m3 and an
allowable tensile stress of 2.5 MPa. The groove angle of the pulleys is 35°. The
coefficient of friction between the belt and the pulley is 0.25. Calculate also the
length required of each belt.
[Link] the number of V belts required to transmit 30KW power under the
following conditions:
Small larger
Speed 1120 280
Pitch diameter 225 900
Pulley groove angle 340 340
Maximum working load per bed=560N
Coefficient of friction=0.15
Center distance= 875mm
mass of belt=0.3kg/m
[Link] electric motor running at 1500rpm is to transmit 11kw to a machine tool
gear base input shaft at 900rpm. The approximate center distance is 750mm. Give
the complete design of suitable type of V-belt
Q4. Design a belt drive to transmit 110 kW for a system consisting of two pulleys
of diameters 0.9 m and 1.2 m, Centre distance of 3.6 m, a belt speed 20 m / s,
coefficient of friction 0.3, a slip of 1.2% at each pulley and 5% friction loss at each
shaft, 20% over load.
‘;’
;
Q5. A flat belt is required to transmit 30 kW from a pulley of 1.5 m effective
diameter running at 300 r.p.m. The angle of contact is spread over 11 24 of the
circumference. The coefficient of friction between the belt and pulley surface is
0.3. Determine, taking centrifugal tension into account, width of the belt required.
It is given that the belt thickness is 9.5 mm, density of its material is 1100 kg / m3
and the related permissible working stress is 2.5 MPa.
