The working of belt drives, their different components, the forces involved and how are they transferred, to create a device of our own, innovating the current belt drive system and developing our own system based on concepts of belt drive.

1. Power Transmission
Through Belts

2. INTRODUCTION
A belt is a loop of flexible material used to mechanically link two or more rotating shafts, most
often parallel.
 Belts may be used as a source of motion, to transmit power efficiently, or to track relative
movement.
Belts are looped over pulleys and may have a twist between the pulleys, and the shafts need not
be parallel.

3. ABSTRACT
We are trying to understand the working of belt drives, their different components, the forces
involved and how are they transferred, to create a device of our own, innovating the current belt
drive system and developing our own system based on concepts of belt drive.

4. Why Used ?
 Transfer power (torque) from one location to another.
From driver: motor, peddles, engine, windmill, turbine to driven: conveyor belt, back wheels, generator
rock crusher, dryer.
 Used to span large distances or need flexible x-mission elements. Gear drives have a higher
torque capability but not flexible or cheap.
 Often used as torque increaser (speed reducer)

5. Advantages of belt drive
They are simple. They are economical.
Parallel shafts are not required.
Overload and jam protection are provided.
Noise and vibration are damped out. Machinery life is prolonged because load fluctuations are
cushioned (shock-absorbed).
They are lubrication-free. They require only low maintenance.
They are highly efficient (90–98%, usually 95%). Some misalignment is tolerable.
They are very economical when shafts are separated by large distances.

6. Disadvantages of belt drive
The angular-velocity ratio is not necessarily constant or equal to the ratio of pulley diameters,
,because of belt slip and stretch.
Heat buildup occurs. Speed is limited to usually 7000 feet per minute (35 meters per second). P
Operating temperatures are usually restricted to –31 to 185°F (–35 to 85°C).
Some adjustment of center distance or use of an idler pulley is necessary for wear and stretch
compensation.
A means of disassembly must be provided to install endless belts.

7. Type of Belt Drive
Type of
belt
drive
Flat
belt
VEE
Belts
Timing
Belt
Round
Belt

8. FLAT BELT DRIVE
They comprise of a simple flexible belt running between
the pulleys.
This type of belts are limited to transmission of less energy
because of their tendency to slip.
They might also have problems due to wrong alignment of belts.
Picture Source : Google Images

9. Round Belt Drive
They are just like ropes stretched between two pulleys.
They are very strong and are used in factories to transmit huge amount of power.
They are used to transfer power across large distances
Picture Source : Google Images

10. V-BELTS
They have a trapezoidal “V” shape and track in a mating groove in the pulley.
The “V” shape of the belt solves the slipping and alignment problems.
They provide the best combination of Traction, Speed and Movement.
They need narrow but deeper grooves on the pulley for their functioning.
They can be used for transmission of large amount of power due to their strength.
They tend to wedge into grooves as the load increases.

11. TIMING BELTS
These belts have tooth to have better grip on the pulley.
They runs on a matching toothed pulley. They have no slippage.
They can be used to transfer high amount of energy.
Due to their non-slipping mechanism they are used in Engines of vehicles and in turbochargers.
They are also used to transfer motion and timing purposes.
Picture Source : Google Images

12. ARRANGEMENT OF BELT DRIVE
1
•Open Belt Drive
2
•Closed Belt Drive

13. Open Belt Drive
In this type of arrangement the belt is put up on both the pulleys straightly without any twist or
turns.
This makes the driven pulley rotate in the same direction as that of the driver pulley.
This method is good for delivering more power as the belts rupture very less when compared
to other methods of arrangement.
Picture Source : Google Images

14. Closed Belt Drive
In this type of arrangement the belt is given a turn as it runs between the pulleys.
The driver pulley and the driven pulley rotates in the opposite direction while in this type of
arrangement.
It cannot be used for delivering much power as the belt rubs against itself and gets ruptured
very fast in the process.

15. Length of the Belt
It is always desirable to know the length of Belt drive. It will be required to know the length of
belt required. The actual length is slightly shorter than the theoretic values.
The length can be determined by the geometric considerations

16. OPEN BELT DRIVE
Nomenclature
dL - Diameter of the larger pulley
dS – Diameter of the smaller pulley
αL- Angle of wrap of the larger pulley
αS – Angle of wrap of the smaller pulley
C- Center distance between the two pulleys

17. Basic Formulae
αL = 180ο + 2β
αS = 180ο - 2β
Where angle β is,
β = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 (𝑑 𝐿
−𝑑 𝑆
)
2𝐶
L0 = Length of open belt
𝐿 =
𝜋
2
𝑑 𝐿 + 𝑑 𝑆 R +
𝑑 𝐿
−𝑑 𝑆
4𝐶
2
+2C
This formulae may be verified by simple geometry.

18. CLOSED BELT DRIVE
Basic Formulae
aL=aS=180o + 2β
Where β is
β = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 (𝑑𝐿−𝑑𝑆)
2𝐶
Lc = Length of close belt
𝐿 𝐶 =
𝜋
2
𝑑 𝐿 + 𝑑𝑆 R +
𝑑 𝐿
+𝑑𝑆
4𝐶
2
+2C

19. Tension ratio
𝑇2 − 𝑚𝑉2
( 𝑇1 − 𝑚𝑉2
= 𝑒 𝜇 𝛼
If we neglect the mass of pulleys then
𝑇2
( 𝑇1
= 𝑒 𝜇 𝛼

20. Power Transmitted by Belt Drive
Let T1 be the tension on the tight side in ‘N’
T2 be the tension on the slack side in ‘N’, and
V be the speed of the belt in m/sec.
The effective turning (driving) force at the circumference of the driven pulley or follower is the
difference between the two tensions (i.e. T1 – T2).
P=( T1 – T2)V Watt

21. Relationship between Wheel Speed
Let
𝑇1 and 𝑇2 be the tension in the slack side and tight side of the belt, respectively.
𝑁𝑎 and 𝑁𝑏 be the corresponding speeds of driving and driven pulley, respectively.
𝑟1 And 𝑟2 be the radius of driving and driven pulley, respectively.
V be the velocity of the belt in m/s passing over the driver.
 𝑑1 and 𝑑2 be the respective diameter.
◦
𝑁 𝑏
𝑁 𝑎
=
𝑑1 +𝑡
𝑑2+𝑡
× 1 −
𝑆
100

22. Reference
www.wikipidea.org
 www.nptel.ac.in
www.srmuniv.ac
www.engineeringtoolbox.com
Engineering Mechanics – Irving H. Shames
Bhandari, V.B., “Design of Machine Elements”, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd.,
1994.

23. Thank You