ME 110 : Elements of Mechanical Engineering

Power Transmission : Belt Drive and Chain Drive

Course Instructor : Dr. Abhilash Singh

Department of Mechanical Engineering
National Institute of Technology Karnataka
Belt Drives - Introduction
✓ A belt drive is a frictional drive that transmits power between two or more shafts using pulleys and an elastic
belt.
✓ They are comparatively easy to install and maintain and generally are durable and viable in the long run.
✓ Belt drives are used to transmit power between two shafts which do not have a common axis.
✓ Factors that determine the power transmission are the velocity of the belt, belt tension between the pulleys
and the angle of contact between the pulleys.
TYPES OF BELT DRIVES

✓ Light drives - They are used to transmit small powers at a belt speed of 10 m/s, as in

agricultural machines and small machine tools.

✓ Medium drives - These are used to transmit medium power at belt speeds over 10 m/s but

up to 22 m/s, as in machine tools.

✓ Heavy drives - These are used to transmit large powers at belt speeds over 22 m/s, as in

compressors and generators.

Types of belt drives

✓ Open Belt drive

✓ Closed or crossed belt drive

✓ Stepped cone pulley

✓ Compound belt drive

✓ Jockey Pulley Drive:

 Types of belt drives
✓ Open Belt drive - Used with shafts arranged parallel and rotating in the same direction. 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).
✓ Lower side belt is known as tight side whereas the upper side belt is known as slack side.
 When to choose open belt drive?
1. When the two shafts are horizontally placed or little bit inclined and are parallel.

2. When low power transmission is required.

3. When you want the direction of rotation of the output shaft same as that of input shaft.

4. Torque and speed conversions over a distance.

5. Open belt drive is not suitable for small distances between centers of pulleys.

6. To carry material from one location to another over a straight line.

Examples: Conveyor Belts (Carrying the material),

Flour Mills (Torque Conversion over large distance).
Both the examples also need the direction of
rotation of output shaft to be the same.
 Types of belt drives
✓ Cross Belt drive — Used with shafts arranged parallel and rotating in the opposite directions. The driver
A pulls the belt from one side (i.e., RQ) and delivers it to the other side (i.e., LM).
✓ Belt RQ is known as tight side whereas the belt LM is known as slack side.
Types of belt drives
✓ Stepped cone pulley drive - A stepped or cone pulley drive, is used for changing the speed of the driven
shaft while the main or driving shaft runs at constant speed. This is accomplished by shifting the belt
from one part of the steps to the other.
Types of belt drives
✓ Compound belt drive - A compound belt drive is used when power is transmitted from one shaft to
another through several pulleys.
 Types of belt drives
✓ Belt drive with idler/Jockey pulleys - A belt drive with an idler pulley is used with shafts arranged
parallel and when an open belt drive cannot be used due to small angle of contact on the smaller
pulley.
✓ The idler pulley which is placed on the slack side, exerts pressure on the belt thereby increasing the arc
of contact and tensions in the belt.
 Types of Belts
✓ Flat Belt - Mostly used in the factories and workshops, where a moderate amount power is to be
transmitted, from one pulley to another when the two pulleys are not more than 8 meters apart.
✓ V- Belt - 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 very near.
✓ Circular belt or rope - Mostly used in the factories and workshops, where a moderate amount power is
to be transmitted, from one pulley to another when the two pulleys are more than 8 meters apart.
Factors considered while choosing a material for belt.
✓ More flexibility.

✓ Reliability and Durability.

✓ Material should be able to withstand high tensile stresses.

✓ It should resist high temperatures.

✓ Should have low weight per unit length.

✓ The material should have a high friction coefficient.

✓ It should have excellent resistance to wear and fatigue.

Materials used for belts
✓ Leather belts - The best leather belts are made from 1.2 meters to 1.5 meters long strips cut from either
side of the backbone of the top grades steer hides.
✓ Cotton or fabric belts - Most of the fabric belts are made by folding canvass or cotton duck to three or
more layers and stitching it together.
✓ Rubber belt - these belts are made of layers of fabric impregnated with rubber and have a thin layer of
rubber composition and have a thin layer of rubber on faces.
✓ Balata belts - Like rubber belts except that balata gum is used in place of rubber .
Definitions in Belt Drives
✓ VELOCITY RATIO
• It is the ratio between the speed of the driven pulley (follower) and the speed of the driving pulley
(driver).

Let 𝑑1 = diameter of driving pulley

𝑑2 = diameter of driven pulley
𝑛1 = speed of driving pulley
𝑛2 = speed of driven pulley

𝑛2 𝑑1 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛

= ⇒ =
𝑛1 𝑑2 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟

Note: When the thickness (𝑡) of the belt is considered, then add the thickness to diameter(𝑑 + 𝑡) of the pulley
and calculate the velocity ratio.
Definitions in Belt Drives
✓ Creep
• When the belt passes from the slack side to the tight side, a certain portion of the belt extends, and it
contracts again when the belt passes from tight side to slack side.
• Due to these changes of length, there is a relative motion between the belt and the pulley surfaces. The
relative motion is termed as creep.

✓ Slip
• The power transmitted from one shaft to the other depends on the frictional grip between the belt and
the pulley rim.
• But sometimes, the frictional grip becomes insufficient. This may cause some forward motion of the driver
without carrying the belt with it. This is called slip of the belt and is generally expressed as percentage.

𝑛2 𝑑1 (100 − 𝑠)
𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 = = ∗
𝑛1 𝑑2 100
Where s = % slip
Power Transmitted by Belt
Ratio of Driving Tensions for Belt Drive

𝑇2

𝑇1

𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 = 𝑇1 − 𝑇2 ∗ 𝑣 𝑁 − 𝑚/𝑠

And 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑑 = 𝑇1 − 𝑇2 ∗ 𝑣 𝑊
Where 𝑇1 =Tension on tight side, 𝑇2 = Tension on
slack side and 𝑣 = 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑡.
Where 𝑇1 =Tension on tight side, 𝑇2 = Tension on slack side
and 𝜇 = 𝐶𝑜𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑦
𝜃 = 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑡
 Belt Drive
Power Transmitted by a Belt-

 = Angle of contact in radians along which the belt touches the pulley, at the centre) /Angle of lap
 = coefficient of friction between the belt and pulley

T1 and T2 = Tensions in the tight side and slack side of the belt respectively in newtons,
r1 and r2 = Radii of the driving and driven pulleys respectively in meters,
v = Velocity of the belt in m/s.

Power transmitted = (T1 – T2) ν Watt

Note- Solve few questions based on the given concept

Industrial Applications of Belt Drives

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)

Advantages & Disadvantages of Belt Drives

Advantages Disadvantages
Can be used when the Centre distance Belt drives are not efficient when the center
between the shafts is large. distance between the two shafts is small

Speeds can be varied by varying the Due to slip in belt drives, exact velocity ratio
diameters of the pulleys cannot be maintained

Low operating costs Only moderate power can be transmitted

Smoothness of Operation and ability to Used for transmitting power only between
absorb shocks due to elasticity of the belt parallel shafts
Chain Drive - Introduction
✓ A Chain Drive consists of an endless chain wrapped around two sprockets. A chain can be defined as a series of links
connected by pin joints or hinged joints. The sprocket are toothed wheels with a special profile for teeth.
✓ They eliminate the slipping problem observed in belt drives.
✓ These are a reliable means of power and motion transmission.
✓ Used in various industries like transportation, agriculture, and oil rigs.

Driver Sprocket Driven Sprocket

Classification of Chains

✓Hoisting Chains

✓Conveyor Chains

✓Power Transmission Chains

Hoisting Chains
➢ A chain hoist is a mechanism that exerts a force for lifting or
lowering an object by utilizing a drum or lift wheel around
which rope or chain wraps.

1. Chain with oval Links:

✓ The links of this chain type are uniquely oval-shaped,
distinguishing them from traditional chain links. Each link is
securely joined through welding, ensuring a robust structure.
2. Chain with stud Links:
✓ Chains designed with studs across their inner width, providing
effective kinking prevention and significantly enhancing overall
strength and durability.
 Conveyor Chains
➢ Tailor-made for conveyor systems, these chains are designed to efficiently transport materials, serving as a
crucial application within the realm of chain drives.
➢ The conveyor chains are usually made of malleable cast iron.
➢ These chains do not have smooth running qualities.
➢ The conveyor chains run at slow speeds of about 0.8 to 3 m/s.
 Power Transmission Chains
➢ These chains are used for transmission of power, when the distance between the centers of shafts is short.
➢ These chains have provision for efficient lubrication.

1. Block Chain:
✓ This type of chain was used in the early stages of development
in the power transmission. It produces noise when approaching
or leaving the teeth of the sprocket because of rubbing
between the teeth and the links.

2. Roller Chain:
✓ It consists of a series of short cylindrical rollers held together by
side links. A roller chain is extremely strong and simple in
construction. There is a little noise with this chain which is due
to impact of the rollers on the sprocket wheel teeth.
Factors considered while selecting a chain drive.
✓ Loading

✓ Chain speed

✓ Distance between the shafts

✓ Service environment

✓ Lubrication
Definitions in Chain Drive
✓ VELOCITY RATIO
• It is the ratio between the speed of the driven sprocket (follower) and the speed of the driving
sprocket (driver).

Let 𝑑1 = diameter of driving pulley

𝑑2 = diameter of driven pulley
𝑛1 = speed of driving pulley
𝑛2 = speed of driven pulley

𝑛2 𝑑1 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 Driver Sprocket Driven Sprocket

= ⇒ =
𝑛1 𝑑2 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟

Note: When the thickness (𝑡) of the belt is considered, then add the thickness to diameter(𝑑 + 𝑡) of the pulley
and calculate the velocity ratio.
Applications of Chain Drives

Motorcycles Bicycles

Conveyor

In the engine, chain drive is used to

operate camshaft.
 Advantages & Disadvantages of Chain Drive

Advantages Disadvantages
Contrary to a belt drive, a chain drive does not slip. Precise alignment required compared to belt drives
Can be used for both long and short distances Noisy and can cause vibrations

Temperature and environmental conditions do not Frequent lubrication required.

affect their working
Can operate in wet conditions Can not be used where precise motion is required

Very high efficiency (up to 96%) Require housing

 Problems
An engine, running at 150 r.p.m., drives a line shaft by means of a belt. The engine pulley is
750 mm diameter and the pulley on the line shaft being 450 mm. A 900 mm diameter pulley on
the line shaft drives a 150 mm diameter pulley keyed to a dynamo shaft. Find the speed of the
dynamo shaft, when 1. there is no slip, and 2. there is a slip of 2% at each drive.
 Problems
For no slip

For slip
 Problems
A flat belt is required to transmit 30 kW from a pulley of 1.5 m diameter running at 300 r.p.m. The angle of contact
is 165𝑜 . The coefficient of friction between the belt and pulley surface is 0.3. Determine. taking maximum and
minimum tension in the belt.
𝛱
Solution. Given : P = 30 𝑘W, 𝑑 = 1.5 𝑚, 𝑁 = 300 𝑟. 𝑝. 𝑚. , 𝜃 = 165o = 165 × = 2 ⋅ 88 rad, 𝜇 = 0.3
180
Thank You !