Pulleys - Diameters and Speed

The pulley laws - driver and driven - diameter and rpm

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Single Belt Transmission - one driving pulley and one driven pulley
For a system with two shafts and two pulleys - as indicated with pulley 1 and 2 in the figure
above:

d1 n1= d2 n2                                   (1)

where

d1 = driving pulley diameter (inch, mm)

n1 = revolutions of driving pulley (rpm - rounds per minute)

d2 = driven pulley diameter (inch, mm)

n2 = revolutions of driven pulley (rpm - rounds per minute)

Equation (1) can be transformed to express the

Revolution of Driven Pulley 

n2 = d1 n1 / d2                          (2)

Revolution of Driver Pulley 

n1 = d2 n2 / d1                           (3)

Diameter of Driven Pulley 

d2 = d1 n1 / n2                          (4)

Diameter of Driver Pulley 

d1 = d2 n2 / n1                         (5)

Multiple Belt Transmission Systems

For a system a with three shafts and four pulleys - as indicated in the figure above:

n2 = n3                            (6)

n4 = n1 (d1 d3) / (d2 d4)                          (7)

Example - Multiple Belt Transmission System

The revolutions of shaft 4 in a multiple belt transmission like indicated in the figure above where

n1 = 1000 rpm

d1 = 100 mm

d2 = 50 mm

d3 = 110 mm

d4 = 60 mm

can be calculated as

n4 =(1000 rpm) (100 mm) (110 mm) / ((50 mm) (60 mm)) 

    = 3667 rpm
Motors and Pulley Selection
Pulley (Sheave) selection charts for motors ranging 850 - 3450 rpm
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Motor and equipment speed  for pulleys with different diameters are indicated in the charts
below:

Motor 850 rpm

 1 in = 25.4 mm
Motor 1050 rpm
Motor 1075 rpm
Motor 1140 rpm
Motor 1550 rpm
Motor 1725 rpm
Motor 3450 rpm
Belt Transmissions - Length and Speed of Belt
Length and speed of belt and belt gearing
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Belts (or chains) are used to transfer power (or convert torque) through rotational motion from
one shaft to an other. Belt driven fans are common in heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and
cooling (HVAC) systems. Chain are common in many transmission systems like bicycles and
other.

 friction belts - transfer the power through friction between the pulley and the belt
 synchronous belts - transfer the power through a mechanical linkage between the
teeth in the belt and the grooves in the pulley
Belt Length

The length of the belt can be calculated as

lb = (dm π / 2) + (df π / 2) + (2 lfm) + ((df - dm)2 / (4 lfm))                                (1)

where

lb = length of belt (mm, inches)

df = pulley (sheave) diameter fan (mm, inches)

dm = pulley (sheave) diameter motor (mm, inches)

π = 3.14..

lfm = center to center distance of fan and motor pulleys (mm, inches)

 df  - pulley (sheave) diameter fan (mm, inches)

 dm - pulley (sheave) diameter motor (mm, inches)

 4

 lfm - center to center distance of fan and motor pulleys (mm, inches)

Belt Velocity
The velocity at which a belt travels may be expressed as

v = π dm nm / 12                                    (2)

where

v = velocity of belt (ft/min)

nm = revolutions motor (rpm)

- or alternatively in metric units:

vb = π dm nm / 60                         (2b)

where

vb = velocity of belt (m/s)

dmb = diameter motor pulley  (m)

Belt Velocity (ft/min) 

Pitch Diameter of Pulley Revolutions Pulley - n - (rpm)

(in)

850 1050 1075 1140 1550 1725 3450

1 223 275 281 298 406 452 903

2 445 550 563 597 812 903 1806

3 668 825 844 895 1217 1355 2710

4 890 1100 1126 1194 1623 1806 3613

5 1113 1374 1407 1492 2029 2258 4516

6 1335 1649 1689 1791 2435 2710 5419

 Belt Velocity (ft/min) 

Pitch Diameter of Pulley Revolutions Pulley - n - (rpm)

(in)

850 1050 1075 1140 1550 1725 3450

7 1558 1924 1970 2089 2841 3161 6322

8 1780 2199 2251 2388 3246 3613 7226

9 2003 2474 2533 2686 3652 4064 8129

10 2225 2749 2814 2985 4058 4516 9032

Belt Gearing
The relationship between the rotational speed of the motor and the fan and the disc diameter
can be expressed as

df nf = dm nm                               (3)

or

nf = nm dm / df 

Belt Gearing Calculator

1400

 nm - speed driver (rpm)

50

 dm - diameter driver (mm, in)

100

 df - diameter follower (mm, in)

Horsepower
If belt tension and belt velocity are known - horsepower transferred can be calculated as

Php = Fb vb / 33000                                (4)

where

Php = power (hp)

Fb = belt tension (lbf)

vb = velocity of belt (ft/min)

If torque and revolution per minute are known - horsepower transferred can be calculated as

Php = T n / 5252                                  (4)

where

Php = power (hp)

T = torque (ft lbf)

n = revolutions per minute (rpm)

Speed Ratio
Speed ratio can be calculated as

SR = nf / ns                            (5)

where
SR = speed ratio

nf = revolutions per minute - fastest machine

ns = revolutions per minute - slowest machine

Belts - Power Transmission and Efficiency

Calculate belts power transmission and efficiency
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The torque available at the driven wheel or pulley (a) can be expressed as

T = (F2 - F1) ra                        (1)

where

T = torque (Nm)

F = force (N)

r = radius of wheel or pulley

The available power can be expressed as

P = T ωa = (F2 - F1) ra ωa                          (2)

where

P = power transmitted (watts)

ωa = angular velocity (rad/s)

Pulleys
Pulleys, blocks and tackles
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A pulley is a device that can increase the magnitude of an effort force. 

Without Pulley

With no pulley - the effort force is similar to the load - in opposite direction.

S = F                                  (1)

where

S = effort force (N, lb)

F = load (N, lb)

Single Pulley
Fixed Pulley

With a single fixed pulley the effort force is similar (or more due to efficiency loss) to the load.

S = F                                (2)

The advantage with the single fixed pulley is that the direction of force is changed - it is possible
to pull down instead of lifting up.

Movable Pulley
 

With a single moveable pulley the effort force is half (or more due to efficiency loss) of the load.

S = 1/2 F                                (3)

Combined Pulleys
With a combined moveable pulley as above - the effort force is half (or more due to efficiency
loss) of the load.

S = 1/2 F                               (4)

With two pulleys and the ropes as above - the effort force is 1/3 (or more due to efficiency) of
the load.

S = 1/3 F                             (5)

General Equation for Blocks and Tackles

The general effort force equation for a block or tackle to raise or pull a load can be expressed as

S = F / (μ n)

   = (m g) / (μ n)                                (6)

where

S = effort force (N, lb)

F = load (often weight) (N, lb)

m = mass (kg, slugs) (when lifting a mass)

g = constant of gravitation (9.81 m/s2, 32.17405 ft/s2) (when lifting a mass)

μ = mechanical efficiency of the system (equal to one for an ideal friction-less system, a fraction
less than one for real-world systems with energy losses due to friction)

n = number of ropes between the sets of pulleys

Block, Tackle or Pulley Calculator

The calculator below can be used to calculate effort force in block, tackle or pulley construction.
The calculator can be used for metric and imperial units as long as the use of units are
consistent.

981

 F - load (N, kg, lb)

0.8

  μ - mechanical efficiency of the system

 n - number of ropes between the sets of pulleys

Note that kg is the SI units for mass - more about mass and weight!

Example - Pulley and Effort Force

The effort force for a pulley with 4 ropes, friction loss μ = 0.8, and load 100 kg can be calculated
as

S = (100 kg) (9.81 m/s2) / ((0.8) (4))

   = 307 N