Belt Drives 

Larger pulley

Geometry Specification Smaller pulley 
v
 
Construction:

belt

Belt drives systems may be consist of (Figure 9.1): Opened belt drive

 Driving pulley
 Driven pulleys (multiple driven sources)
v

 Belts Crossed belt drive

 Idler and levers (used for adjustment)

Belt drives systems may be assembled to (Figure 9.1):

Angled belt drive
 Opened belt drive (non-reversing) Driver

 Reversing crossed or twist belt drive

Driven1

 Angled belt drive Driven2

 Reversing open belt drive

Multi output supplies

belt

Reversing
Reversingopen
open-beltbelt
drive drive

Figure 9.1

There are many types of belts used these days, these are:
 Flat belt: used for moderate amount of power is to be transmitted.
 V-belt: greater amount of power is to be transmitted, and when the two pulleys
are very near to each other.
 Circular Belt or Rope: greater amount of power is to be transmitted, and when
the two pulleys are more than 5 m apart.
 Timing belt: It has teeth that fit into groove cut on the
periphery of the pulleys. A timing belt dose not
stretches or slips and consequently transmits power at
a constant angular velocity ratio, Figure 9.2.

Figure 9.2

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Belt Drives
Angle of lap (contact), :
The belts are partly wound round pulleys. The smaller wound angle is called the Angle
of lap or angle of contact.
a. For opened belt drive:
R, r = radii of large and smaller pulleys respectively
 = angle of lap
S = distance between pulley's centers
Consider the triangle O1O2P (Figure 9.3)
O2 P = R - r
O1 O2 = S
cos (/2) = (R - r)/S

  = 2 cos-1(R – r)/S in degree

 = /90* cos-1(R – r)/S in radian

If R = r  =  rad = 180°

v
P
 r /2 R
O1
O2


Figure 9.3
b. For closed belt drive:
Consider the triangle O1O2P (Figure 9.4)
O2P = R + r
O1O2 = S
cos (/2) = (R + r)/S
 = 2 cos-1(R + r)/S

  = 360° - 2 cos-1(R + r)/S in degree

 = /90* (180° - cos-1(R + r)/S) in radian

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Belt Drives
P
r

 R
/2

O1 O2
v

Figure 9.4
Length of the belt (L):
a. For an opened belt drive:
L = r + R*(2 - ) + 2*(O1P); O1P = S*sin /2

 L = r + R*(2 - ) + 2*S*sin /2

b. For a closed belt drive:
L = (R + r) + 2*(O1P); O1P = S*sin /2 = S* sin (180° - /2)

 L = (R + r) + 2*S*sin (180°- /2)

Speed Ratio of a Simple Belt Drive (e):

a. If the larger pulley is the driver:
e = / = R/r  1 for no slipping and the thickness is not considered
b. If smaller pulley is the driver:
e = / = r/R  1 for no slipping and the thickness is not considered
where , and  is the speed of the larger and smaller pulley in radian per second
respectively.

Speed Ratio of a Compound Belt Drive (e):

a. If the larger pulley is the driver and if there are four pulleys in the system:
e = / = R1*R3/r2*r4  1 for no slipping and the thickness is not considered
b. If smaller puller is the driver and if there are four pulleys in the system:
e = / = r1*r3/R2*R4  1 for no slipping and the thickness is not considered
respectively.

Slip of belt
Sometimes, the frictional grip becomes insufficient. This may cause some forward
motion of the driver without carrying the belt with it. This may also cause some

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Belt Drives
forward motion of the belt without carrying the driven pulley with it. This is called slip
of the belt and is generally expressed as a percentage.
The result of belt slipping is to reduce the velocity ratio of the system.

Let s1% = Slip between the driver and the belt,

s2% = Slip between the belt and the follower.
v = Velocity of the belt, passing over the driver per minute.

N 2 d1
 ( 1  s )( 1  s2 )
1
N1 d2

If thickness of the belt (t) is considered, then

N 2 d1  t
 ( 1  s )( 1  s )
1 2
N1 d 2  t

Example 1: An engine, running at

150 rpm, drives a line shaft on the by
means of a belt. The engine pulley is
75 cm diameter and the pulley on the
line shaft being 45 cm. A 90 cm
diameter pulley on the line shaft
drives a 15 cm diameter pulley keyed
to a dynamo shaft. Find the speed of
the dynamo shaft, when, 1. there is no slip, 2. there is a slip of 2% at each drive.

Solution:
Given N1= 150 rpm, D1 = 75 cm, D2 = 45 cm, D3 = 90 cm, D4 = 15 cm
1. When there is no slip:
N4 N2 N4 D D 75* 90
 *  1* 3   10
N1 N1 N 3 D2 D4 45* 15
 N 4  150 * 10  1500 rpm

2. When there is a slip of 2% at each drive

D D 75 * 90 2 2
N 4 N 2 N 4  1* 3( 1  s )( 1  s )  * ( 1  )( 1  )  9.604
 * 2
 

N1 N1 N 3 D2 D4 45* 15 100 100

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 1
Belt Drives
N 4  150 * 9.604  1440.6 rpm

Example 2: Find the length of belt necessary to drive a pulley of 80 cm diameter

running parallel at a distance of 12 meters from the driving pulley of diameter 480 cm.

Solution:
Given: R = 240 cm, r = 40 cm, S = 1200 cm
1. If the belt is open
 = 2 cos-1(R – r)/S = 2 cos-1(240 – 40)/1200 = 160.81° = 2.8067 rad
L = r + R*(2 - ) + 2*S*sin /2
= 40 * 2.8067+ 240*(2 - 2.8067) +2*1200* 0.986 = 3313 cm = 33.13 m
2. If the belt is crossed
 = 360° - 2 cos-1(R + r)/S = 360° - 153.01°= 206.986°= 3.612 rad
L = (R + r) + 2*S*sin (180°- /2) = 3345.28 cm = 33.45 m

Ratio of Belt tensions:

Flat Belt:
Consider a flat belt partly wound round a
pulley so that the angle of lap , Figure 9.5,
and let T1 and T2 be the tensions in the belt
when it is about to slip in the direction shown.
If the tensions at the ends of an element
Tight
subtending an angle d at the center are T and Side Slack
Side
r
T + dT, the reaction, and the coefficient of
friction between the belt and the pulley is R
and  respectively, then resolving forces
radially: Figure 9.5

dθ dθ
( T  dT ) T R
2 2

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Belt Drives
Therefore, neglecting the second order of small quantities
T * dθ  R - - - - - - - -(*)
Resolving forces tangentially,

Figure 9.6

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Belt Drives
T  dT   T  R
dT  R  Tdθ
dT
 dθ
T

T dT
1
 θ dθ
T 2
T 0
T1
ln  θ
T2

T 1  e 
T2

If the belt is used to transmit power between two pulleys, Figure 9.6, T1 and T2 are the
tight and slack side tensions respectively. If the pulleys are unequal diameter, the belt
will slip first on the pulley having the smaller angle of lap, i.e. on the smaller pulley.
If v is the speed of the belt in m/s and T1 and T2 are in Newton, then

Power transmitted = (T1 – T2)*v Watt

= T1*(1-1/e)*v Watt
Belt Drives

Example 3: Find the power transmitted by a belt running over a pulley of 60 cm

diameter at 200 rpm. The coefficient of friction between the belt and the pulley is
0.25, angle of lap 160° and maximum tension in the belt is 2.5 kN.
Solution
Given d= 60 cm = 0.6 m, N = 200 rpm,  = 0.25,  = 160° = 2.793 rad, T1 = 2.5 kN
v = *d*200/60 = 2 m/s
T1/T2 = e  T2 = 1243.63 N = 1.243 kN
Power transmitted = (T1 – T2)*v = (2.5 – 1.243) * 2 = 7.894 kW

Example 4: Two pulleys, one 450 mm diameter and the other 200 mm diameter are
on parallel shafts 1.95 m apart and are connected by crossed belt. Find the length of the
belt required. What power the belt can transmit when the larger pulley rotates at 200
rpm, if the maximum permissible tension in the belt is 1 kN, and the coefficient
between the belt and pulley is 0.25?
Belt Drives
Solution:
Given R = 0.225 m, r = 0.1 m, S = 1.95 m, N1 = 200 rpm, T1 = 1 kN,  = 0.25.
v = 2*R*200/60 = 4.7123 m/s
 = 360° - 2 cos-1(R + r)/S = 360°- 2* cos-1(0.225 + 0.1)/1.95 = 199.188°
= 3.476 rad
L = (R + r) + 2*S*sin (180°- /2) =
= (0.225 + 0.1)* 3.476 + 2*1.95*sin (180°-99.594) = 4.975 m
T1/T2 = e
 T2 = 1000/e0.869= 419.37 N
Power transmitted = (T1 – T2)*v = (1000 – 419.37)*4.7123 = 2736 W
= 2.736 kW
Effect of Centrifugal Tension:
Consider a belt, of mass m per unit length, wound round a pulley of radius r, Figure
9.7. Let the speed of the belt be v and the centrifugal tension be Tc.

Figure 9.7
If F is the centrifugal force acting on an element of the belt subtending an angle d at
the center, then resolving forces radially,
dθ v2
F  2Tc i.e mrd .  Tc d
2 r
or Tc  mv2
This is the tension caused by centrifugal force on the belt and is additional to the
tension due to the transmission of power.
Equation (*) due to this additional tension becomes:
v2
Td  R  F  R  mrd
r
So that dT  R  (T - mv 2 )d
dT
 d
i.e.
T  Tc

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Belt Drives
T dT 

 T  Tc   d
1

T 0

or
T1  Tc 
e
T2  Tc

T1-Tc and T2-Tc are the effective driving tensions and T1 and T2 are now the total
tensions in the belt. The transmitted power with the effects of centrifugal tension is;

 1 
power  ( T1 T 2)* v   T1  Tc 1  
θ 
 e 
From the above equation the power transmitted is a maximum when
d T
1  Tc   0
dv
d
dv
T1v  mv3   0
1
mv2  T
31
1
T T
c
31

2  1 
 Maximum power  T1* 1   * vopt
3  e 

T1
where vopt =
3* m

Initial Tension:
The belt is assembled with an initial tension, To. When power is being transmitted, the
tension in the tight side increases from To to T1 and on the slack side decreases from
To to T2.
T1 – To = T o – T 2
or T1 + T2 = 2To Neglecting centrifugal tension

V – Belt or Rope Drive

9.3.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of V-belt Drive over Flat Belt Drive
Advantages

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 Belt Drives
1. The V-belt drive gives compactness due to small distance between centers of
pulleys.
2. The slip between the belt and the pulley groove is negligible.
3. The operation of the belt and pulley is quiet.
4. The high velocity ratio (maximum 10) may be obtained.
5. The power transmitted by V-belts is more than flat belts for the same coefficient
of friction, arc of contact (angle of lap) and allowable tension in the belt.
6. The V-belt may be operated in either direction, with tight side of 2
the
belt at top or bottom. The center line may be horizontal,
vertical, or inclined. R
V-belt

Disadvantages
1. The V-belt drive cannot be used with large center N N
distance.
2. The V-belts are not as durable as flat belts.
3. The construction of pulleys for V-belts is N R/2
 
more complicated than pulleys of flat
belts.
V-grooved pulley

9.3.2 Ratio of V-belt Tensions:

As in the flat belt drive, let Figure 9.8

T1 = tight tension in belt

T2 = slack tension in belt
R = total reaction in the plane of the groove
N = Normal reaction between belt and sides of the groove
2 = angle of the groove
 = coefficient of friction between the belt and sides of the groove
From the force polygon in Figure 9.8,
R R
N  cos ec
2sin  2
We have two friction forces,
F f  2 * N 

 F f   * R * cos ec


The friction force is therefore increased in the ratio cosec: 1, so that the V-grooved
pulley is equivalent to a flat pulley having a coefficient of friction of .cosec.
Hence

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Belt Drives
T 1  e  cos ec 
T2
When the effect of centrifugal tension is considered, the tension ratio became:

T1  Tc  cos ec
e
T2  Tc

Power = (T1 – T2) * v = (T1 – TC)* (1-1/ecosec)* v

For the condition of maximum transmitted power,
2  1 
 Maximum power  T1* 1  * vopt
3  e cos ec 
T1
where vopt =
3* m

Example 5: A belt drive consists of two V-belts in parallel, on grooved pulleys

of the same size. The angle of the groove is 30°. The cross-sectional area of each
belt is 750 mm2 and = 0.12. The density of the belt material is 1.2 Mg/m2 and
the maximum safe stress in the material is 7 MN/m2. Calculate the power that
can be transmitted between pulleys 300 mm diameter rotating at 1500 rpm. Find
also the shaft speed in rpm at which the power transmitted would be a maximum.

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Belt Drives
  = 44.1/0.15 = 294 rad/s
N = 30* 294/ = 2807 rev/min

Example 6: A rope drive is required to transmit 230 kW from a pulley of 1 m

diameter running at 450 rpm. The safe pull in each rope is 800 N and the mass of
the rope is 0.46 kg/m. The angle of lap and the groove angle are 160° and 45°
respectively. If the coefficient of friction between the rope and the pulley is 0.3,
find the number of ropes required.

Example 7: An open belt drive connects two pulleys 1.2 and 0.5 m diameter, on
parallel shafts 3.6 m apart. The belt has a mass of 0.9 kg/m length, and the
maximum tension in it is not to exceed 2 kN.
The 1.2 m pulley, which is the driver, runs at 200 rev/min. Due to belt slip on one
of the pulleys, the velocity of the driven shaft is only 450 rev/min. Calculate the
torque on each of the two shafts, the power transmitted, and the power lost
in friction. =
0.3. What is the efficiency of the drive?

Example 8: A small air compressor is belt-driven from a lay shaft in a workshop,

the pulley on the compressor being 300 mm diameter, and the angle of lap of the
belt is 165 . When the belt is moved from the loose to the fast pulley, it slips for
8 s until the compressor attains its constant speed of 300 rev/min. The flywheel
of the compressor has a moment of inertia of 4 kg m2 and the friction requires a
constant torque of 4 N
m. If the coefficient of friction is 0.28 during the accelerating period, find the
tensions in both reaches of the belt, and also the distance that the belt slips and
the energy lost in that time due to belt slip.

- 11 -
 Belt Drives
Example 9: Two parallel horizontal shafts, whose center lines are 4.8 m apart, one
being vertically above the other, are connected by an open belt drive. The pulley on
the upper shaft is 1.05 m diameter that on the lower shaft 1.5 m diameter. The belt is
150 mm wide and the initial tension in it when stationary and when no torque is being
transmitted is 3 kN. The belt has a mass of 1.5 kg/m length; the gravitational force on
it may be neglected but centrifugal force must be taken into account. The material of
the belt may be assumed to obey Hook's Law, and the free lengths of the belt between
pulleys may be assumed to be straight. The coefficient of friction between the belt and
either pulley is 0.3. Calculate
a) The pressure in N/m2 between the belt and the upper pulley when the belt and
pulleys are stationary and no torque is being transmitted;
b) The tension in the belt and the pressure between the belt and the upper pulley if
the upper shaft rotates at 400 rev/min and there is no resisting torque on the
lower shaft, hence no power being transmitted;
c) The greatest tension in the belt in the belt if the upper shaft rotates at 400
rev/min and the maximum possible power is being transmitted to the shaft.

3000 N p 3000 N
d

(b)

(a) Figure 9.10

Example 10: A compressor, requiring 90 kW, is to run at about 250 rpm. The
drive is by V-belts from an electric motor running at 750 rpm. The diameter of
the pulley on the compressor shaft must not be greater than 1 m while the center
distance between the pulleys is limited to 1.75 m. The belt speed should not
exceed 1600 m/min.
Determine the number of V-belts required transmitting the power if each belt has
a cross-sectional area of 375 mm2, weighs 0.001 kg / cm3, and has allowable
tensile stress of 2.5 MN / m2. The groove angle of the pulley is 35 . The
coefficient of friction is 0.25. Calculate also the length required of each belt.

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 m =  * A = 0.001 * 106 * 375 * 10-6 = 0.375 kg / m

Problems (Belt Drives)

Q1: Two shafts whose centers are 100 cm apart are connected by a V-belt drive.
The driving pulley is supplied with 93.25 kW and has an effective diameter of
0.3 m. It runs at 1000 rpm while the driven pulley runs at 375 rpm. The angle of
groove on the pulleys is 40 . Permissible tension in 4 cm2 cross-sectional area
belt is 2.1 MN/m2. The material of the belt weighs 1.11 g/cm3. The coefficient
of friction between belt and pulley rim is 0.28. Estimate the number of belts
required. (Ans. 10)

Q2: A leather belt, 125 mm wide and 6 mm thick, transmits power from a pulley
750 mm diameter which runs at 500 rev/min. The angle of lap is 150° and =
0.3. If the mass of 1 m3 of leather is 1 Mg and the stress in the belt is not to
exceed 2.75 MN/m2, find the maximum power which can be transmitted. (Ans.
18.94 kW)

Q3: Power is transmitted between two shafts by a V-belt whose mass is 0.9 kg/m
length. The maximum permissible tension in the belt is limited to 2.2 kN. The
angle of lap is 170 and the groove angle 45 . If the coefficient of friction
between the belt and pulleys is 0.17; find
(i) velocity of the belt for maximum power; and (ii) power transmitted at
this velocity. (Ans. 28.54 m/s; 30.66 kW)

Q4: In a belt drive, the angle of lap of the belt on the small pulley is 150°. With a
belt speed of 20 m/s and a tension in the tight side of the belt of 1.35 kN, the
greatest power which can be transmitted without slip is 10 kW. What increase of
power would be obtained for the same belt speed and maximum tension by using
an idler pulley to increase the angle of lap to 210°? Take into account the
centrifugal effect, the mass of the belt being 0.75 kg/m. (Ans. 2.6 kW)

Q5: A pulley is driven by a flat belt, the angle of lap being 120°. The belt is 100
mm wide by 6 mm thick and has a mass of 1 Mg/m3. If = 0.3 and the
2
maximum stress in the belt is not to exceed 1.5 MN/m , find the greatest power
which the belt can transmit and the corresponding speed of the belt. (Ans. 6.256
kW, 22.36 m/s)

Q6: Power is transmitted between two shafts, 4.5 m apart, by a crossed wire rope
passing round two pulleys, of 3 m and 2 m diameter respectively, the groove
angle being 40°. If the rope has a mass of 4 kg/m, and the maximum working
tension is 20 kN, determine the maximum power that the rope can transmit, and
the corresponding speed of the smaller pulley. = 0.3 (Ans. 445.6 kW, 389.9
- 13 -
 rev/min)

Q7: Power is transmitted from an electric motor to a machine tool by an open belt
drive. The effective diameter of the pulley on the motor shaft is 150 mm while
that on the machine tool is 200 mm with a center distance of 600 mm. If the
motor speed is 1440 rev/min and the maximum permissible belt tension is 900 N,
then the maximum power transmissible is 6 kW.
It is necessary that the power transmissible be increased to 6.75 kW, using the
same pulleys, center distance and motor speed. The belt is treated with a special
preparation

that increases its coefficient of friction by 10 percent of its existing value, and in
addition a jockey pulley may be fitted. Determine,
a) the existing coefficient of friction
b) the new angle of lap
(Ans. 0.29, 195°)

Q8: A belt drive consists of a V-belt working on a grooved pulley, with an angle
lap of 160°. The cross-sectional area of the belt is 650 mm2, the groove angle is
30° and =
The density of the belt material is 1 Mg/m3 and its maximum safe stress is
8 MN/m2 of cross-section.
Calculate the power that can be transmitted at a belt speed of 25 m/s. (Ans. 79 kW)

Q9: The following particulars apply to one pulley of a rope drive between two
parallel shafts:
Effective diameter of pulley = 1.5
m Total angle of groove = 45°
Minimum angle of lap = 180°
Mass of rope per m run = 0.45 kg
Maximum permitted load per rope =
650 N Coefficient of friction = 0.25

a) Find the power transmitted per rope at a pulley speed of 200 rev/min, if
centrifugal tension may be neglected.
b) Find the pulley speed when centrifugal tension accounts for half the
permitted load in the rope, and the power, which can be transmitted at that
speed.
(Ans. 8.9 kW, 342 rev/min, 7.62 kW)

Q10: A 1/4 reduction drive between two parallel shafts 2 m centers is provided
by means of five parallel V-belts running on suitable pulleys mounted on the
- 14 -
shafts. The effective diameter of the driving pulley is 350 mm and the driving
shaft rotates at 740 rev/min. The included angle of each pulley groove is 40 ,
each V-belt has a mass of
0.45 kg/m and the coefficient of friction between belt and each groove is 0.28.
Determine what power can be transmitted by drive, if the tension in each belt is
not to exceed 800 N. (Ans: 42.9 kW)

Q11: A small generator is driven by means of a V-belt which has a total angle of
60 between the faces of the V. The angle of lap on pulley is 120 and the mean
radius of the belt as it passes round the pulley is 50 mm. If = 0.2 and the mass
of the belt is
0.45 kg/m, find the tension in each side of the belt when 750 Watt is being
transmitted at a pulley speed of 1800 rev/min. (Ans: 180 N; 100.5 N)

Q12: A shaft running at 100 rpm is to drive another shaft at 240 rpm and
transmits 11 kW. The distance between the shafts is 250 cm and the smaller
pulley is of 60 cm diameter. The flat belt employed is 114 mm wide, 12 mm
thick, and the coefficient of friction between the belt and pulley is 0.25. Calculate
the stress in the belt if it is (a) an open belt drive; and (b) a cross belt drive.

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