Learn more about Belt Tension

Applied mechanics
J. Carvill, in Mechanical Engineer's Data Handbook, 1993
2.2.1 Flat, vee and timing belt drives
Formulae are given for the power transmitted by a belt drive and for the tensions in the belt. The effect
of centrifugal force is included.
A table of information on timing belt drives is included.

Symbols used:

F1 = belt tension, tight side

F2 = belt tension, slack side
ra = radius of pulley a
rb = radius of pulley b
Na = speed of pulley a
Nb = speed of pulley b
m = mass of belt per unit length
P = power transmitted
μ = coefficient of friction between belt and pulley
Fo = initial belt tension
θa = arc of belt contact pulley a
θb = arc of belt contact pulley b
L = distance between pulley centres
s = percentage slip
v = belt velocity
Speed ratio NaNb = rbra (100 −s)100
(when pulley b is the driver)

Arc of contact (rarb):

θa = 180° + 2sin−−1(ra − rb)L
θb = 180° − 2sin−−1(ra − rb)L

Tension ratio for belt about to slip:

For pulley ‘a’

 F1F2 = eμθa

For pulley ‘b’

F1F2 = eμθb

where: e = base of natural logarithms (= 2.718).

Power capacity P = v(F1 – F2)
where: belt velocity v = 2πraNa = 2πrbNb (no slip).
Pulley torque Ta = ra(F1 – F2); Tb = rb(F1 – F2)
Initial tensionF0=(F1+F2)2
Effect of centrifugal force: the belt tensions are reduced by mv2 so that
F1−mv2F2−mv2=eμθ
Vee belt
The ‘wedge’ action of the vee belt produces a higher effective coefficient of friction μ '
μ′=μsin−α

where: α = the ‘half angle’ of the vee (μ' = 2.9μ for α = 20°).

Timing belts
Timing belts have teeth which mate with grooves on the pulleys. They are reinforced with high strength
polymer strands to give power capacity up to three times that of conventional belts at three times the
speed. There is no slip so a constant ratio is maintained. A large number of speed ratios is available. Belts
are made in several strengths and widths.

Timing belt sizes (BS 4548: 1970)

Type Meaning Pitch (mm) Widths (mm) Constant, K

XL Extra light 5.08 6.4, 7.9, 9.6 —
Type Meaning Pitch (mm) Widths (mm) Constant, K
L Light 9.53 12.7, 19.1, 25.4 1.53
H Heavy 12.70 19.1, 25.4, 38.1, 50.8, 76.2 5.19
XH Extra heavy 22.23 50.8, 76.2, 101.6 12.60
XXH Double extra heavy 31.75 50.8, 76.2, 101.6, 127.0 —
Service factor

Hours of service per day <10 10–16 >16

% full power 100 72 67
Class Applications % full power
1 Typewriters, radar, light domestic 100
2 Centrifugal pumps, fans, woodworking machines, light conveyors 69
3 Punching presses, large fans, printing machines, grain conveyors 63
4 Blowers, paper machines, piston pumps, textile machines 58
5 Brickmaking machines, piston compressors, hoists, crushers, mills 54
Power capacity P = KNTW × 10–6 kilowatts
where:

K = size constant (see table)

N = number of revolutions per minute
T = teeth in smaller pulley
W = width of belt (mm)

Example: Type H belt, W = 50.8 mm, N = 1500 rev min−1, T = 20, for large fan working 12 hours per day.
From tables, K = 5.19 service factors 72% and 63%.
P = 5.19 × 1500 × 20 × 50.8 × 10−6 × 0.63 × 0.72 = 3.59 kW
Note: at high speeds and with large pulleys the power capacity may be up to 25% less. See manufacturer's
tables.

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Developments in ring spinning
R.S. Rengasamy, in Advances in Yarn Spinning Technology, 2010
7.4.2 Delayed start-up of drafting rollers
The drive for the drafting rollers is a rigid one (by gears) and the spindle is driven by a flexible drive (belt).
The initial belt tensions on both sides of the spindle are the same while the machine is at rest. When the
ring-spinning machine is started, the belt tension in the forward direction increases, and at the back it
decreases enough to build up the required torque on the spindle. Additional slackness present on the
spindle belt compounds the problem. The acceleration of the spindle lags behind that of the drafting
rollers and the yarn slackens; if it slackens too much, this might lead to balloon instability and the end
breaks. Delaying the starting of the drafting rollers by a few seconds would solve this problem. In the
Marzoli ring-spinning machine, at the beginning of cop build-up, the starting of the drafting rollers is
delayed so that the spindle starts to rotate first, which tightens the initial yarn ends (Marzoli, 2009).
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Services
Robin Kent, in Energy Management in Plastics Processing (Third Edition), 2018
Improvement
The efficiency of standard V-belts will decrease over time from a peak of 95–98% to less than 93% due to
ageing and failure to adjust the belt tension. Cogged belts have a greatly reduced bending resistance
compared to standard V-belts and can be used on the same pulleys as equivalent V-belts. They also need
less maintenance, run cooler, last longer and are around 2% more efficient than standard V-belts.
Synchronous belts are another alternative to standard V-belts, i.e., they are more efficient and retain their
efficiency for longer, but they may not be suitable for all applications due to noise and a low tolerance
for shock loading
•
Tip – Replace existing traditional V-belts with cogged or synchronous belts where they are suitable
and it is possible. This can be done during a planned maintenance service.
At one site, we found that all the belts on an HVAC fan had snapped and the motor was running without
moving the fan.

Nobody had complained so we switched the motor off and claimed the savings.

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Major Process Equipment Maintenance and Repair
In Practical Machinery Management for Process Plants, 1997
Tensioning V-Belt Drives
Without exception, the most important factor in the successful operation of a V-belt drive is proper belt-
tensioning. To achieve the long, trouble-free service associated with V-belt drives, belt tension must be
sufficient to overcome slipping under maximum peak load. This could be either at the start or during the
work cycle. The amount of peak load will vary depending upon the character of the drive machine or drive
system. To increase total tension, merely increase the center distance. Before attempting to tension any
drive it is imperative that the sheaves be properly installed and aligned. If a V-belt slips it is too loose. Add
to the tension by increasing the center distance. Never apply belt dressing as this will damage the belt and
cause early failure.
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Power losses prediction in poly-v belt transmissions: application to front engine accessory drives
L. Manin, ... C. Lorenzon, in International Gear Conference 2014: 26th–28th August 2014, Lyon, 2014
2.1.3.2 Radial compression losses
As it is illustrated in figure 6, when the belt is lying inside, the belt is under a radial compression P v which is
generated by the flank pressure Pf. It assumes that the cord layer takes the most belt tension. So it is
obviously that the material, which is between the cord layer and the rib (middle layer), is under the effect
of radial compression, the thickness of this part is Hb. However, when the belt is lying outside, it is the top
layer of the belt that is under radial compression, its thickness is Ht.
When the belt is lying inside the radial strain is given by Pv/Kb, with Kb the radial stiffness. The power loss is
then obtained by:
(20)ΔPh_rc=πa2PvKb+b2PvKb2B.Hb∗R.ω

Among the outputs of the dynamic behavior simulation software, we have the flank pressure P f, thus the
radial pressure can be found by:
(21)Pv=2.Pf.Hc.tanα2L

When the belt is lying outside:

(22)ΔPh_rc=πa1PvKb_HtPvKb_Ht2B.Ht.R.ω

where Kb_Ht is the radial stiffness of the top layer. The power loss is just for one pulley whose flank pressure
is Pf. In the case of a multi pulley transmissions, a specific value is used for each pulley, and these values
are taken from the dynamic simulation results.
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Formation of Digital Mine Using the Internet of Things
S.K. Chaulya, G.M. Prasad, in Sensing and Monitoring Technologies for Mines and Hazardous Areas, 2016
6.13.2 Production Monitoring
Real-time production monitoring of coal/mineral can be ascertained with the help of an integrated
programmable logic controller system using a software (Mandal et al., 2015). It is calculated based
on tensile load on conveyer belt carrying coal.
Belt tension: A conveyor belt always experiences a tensile load due to rotation of electric drive, weight of
the conveyed materials and idlers. Belt tension at steady state can be calculated as:
(6.6)Tb=1.37×f×L×g×2×mi+2×mb+mm×cosδ+H×g×mm

where Tb is the belt tension (N), f is the coefficient of friction, L is the conveyer length in meter divided by
two, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2), mi is the load of idlers within 1 m length of conveyer
belt (kg), mb is the load of 1 m length conveyer belt (kg), mm is the load of the conveyed materials per
meter length of conveyer belt (kg), δ is the inclination angle of conveyor belt (degree), and H is the vertical
height of conveyor belt (m).
Power to drive pulley: The power required to drive pulley can be calculated from the belt tension value as:
(6.7)Pp=Tb×v/1000

where Pp is the power to drive pulley (KW), Tb is the belt tension (N), and v is the belt speed (m/s).
Belt tension while starting the system: Initially during the start of a conveyor system, tension in the belt is
much higher than the tension in steady state. Belt tension while starting can be calculated as:
(6.8)Tbs=Tb×Ks

where Tbs is the Belt tension while starting the system (N), Tbs can be measured using belt tension
measuring instrument (Trumeter), and Ks is the start-up factor.
To determine the K factor, different informations are required, namely (i) belt wrap at drive, (ii) bare steel
pulley or lagged pulley, and (iii) screw take-up or gravity take-up. The K factor, as can be seen from the
following expression:
(6.9)K=1efQ−1

where e is the base of Naperian logarithm = 2.718.

The K factor is dependent upon coefficient of friction (f) between the pulley surface and belt surface and
wrap (Q) of the belt around the pulley with Q measured in radians
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Ancillary equipment
WTW (Bill) Cory, in Fans and Ventilation, 2005
16.4 Combination baseframes
A rigid base which allows the fan, motor and drives to be transported and installed as a complete unit is
often desirable. It ensures that the various items are correctly aligned and that vee belt drives are correctly
tensioned. When anti-vibration mountings are fitted below the baseframe it becomes essential to ensure
that both fan and motor vibrate as one and that belt tension is maintained by fixing their relative
positions. (It would be helpful to refer to Chapter 8, Figure 8.8.)
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Figure 16.8. Fan set on rolled steel channel baseframe
Baseframes are of many varieties but the following are the most popular:
a)
Fabricated from rolled steel channels welded or bolted together as appropriate. A heavy duty
construction, which gives the desired mass when used with anti-vibration mountings, (see Figure
16.8).
b)
Sheet steel fabrication of appropriate depth to give rigidity, usually constructed from parts
produced by a turret punch or a laser (see Figure 16.9).
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Figure 16.9. Fan set on sheet steel fabricated baseframe
c)
Angled fabrication from slotted square section (see again Figure 16.1) designed to give reduced
drive centres and an overall reduced “footprint”.
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Installation, operation and maintenance

WTW (Bill) Cory, in Fans and Ventilation, 2005
18.3.3 Start-up check list
Before putting any fan into operation the following operations should be completed.
1. Cut out primary and secondary power source.
2. Make sure the foundation or mounting arrangement and the duct connections are adequately designed
in accordance with recognised acceptable engineering practices.
3. Check and tighten all holding down bolts.
4. Spin impeller to see if rotation is free and does not bind or rub.
5. Inspect impeller to see if it is the proper handing for the fan design.
6. Check all set screws and tighten if necessary.
7. Check vee drive or coupling for alignment — use recommended belt tension.
8. Check vee drive for proper pulley selection and make sure they are not reversed or the fan could run to
excessive speeds as well as overloading the motor.
9. Make certain there is no foreign loose material in ductwork leading to and from fan or in fan itself.
10. Properly secure all safety guards.
11. Check security, correct alignment, and fixings of flexible connectors.
12. Secure all access doors to fan and ductwork.
13. Close any inlet or outlet fan dampers.
14. Switch on electrical supply and allow fan to reach full speed.
15. Progressively open dampers, making certain the system continues to function satisfactorily and that
motor does not overload.
16. Check carefully for:
– Correct impeller rotation (shown by rotation arrow on fan casing).
– Excessive vibration.
– Unusual noise.
If any problem is indicated switch off immediately. Cut out the electrical supply, check carefully for the
cause of the trouble, and correct as necessary.

Even if the fan appears to be operating satisfactorily, shut down after a brief period and recheck items 3 to
12 as the initial start-up may have relieved tightness of bolts and set screws, again ensuring electrical
supply is cut out before attempting other checks.

The fan may now be put into operation, but during the first eight hours of running it should be periodically
observed and checked for excessive vibration and noise. At the same time checks should be made on
motor input current and motor temperatures to ensure that they do not exceed manufacturer's
recommendations.

After eight hours of satisfactory operation, the fan should be shut down and the power cut out to check
the following items and adjust if necessary.
1.
All set screws and hold down bolts including guard fixings.
2.
Drive coupling alignment.
3.
Vee drive alignment.
4.
Vee drive belt tensions should be readjusted to recommended tension.
5.
Security of flexible connections.

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