Table of contents
- 1. Opportunity
- 2. Background
- 3. Templates
- 4. Examples
Opportunity
Facilities meeting one or more of the following criteria may benefit from this opportunity.
- Motors utilize regular V-belts
Background
A notched belt reduces slip and allows the belt to bend around sheaves with less energy loss. Reduction in output speed and efficiency occurs when a standard V-belt slips within the groove of the sheave. Efficiency improvements have been found to range from 1% to 3%. An average efficiency improvement of 2% over standard V-belts is used in this analysis. Friction between the standard V-belt and sheave generates heat within the belt, resulting in an energy loss and shortened belt life. Notched V-belts can last twice as long as standard V-belts but have shorter lives in abrasive environments where contaminants can become trapped between the belt and the sheave. Notched V-belts may be used with existing V-belt pulleys but typically cost 20-30% more.
High torque, or synchronous, drive belts are similar in appearance to automotive engine timing belts. The teeth and grooves of the belt and sheave system are designed to fit together tightly preventing slip and reducing friction. Loss in motor speed and efficiency occurs when a standard V-belt slips within the groove of the sheave. The friction between the standard V-belt and sheave generates heat within the belt, resulting in energy loss and shortening of belt life. V-belts often call for more tension than HTD belts, adding to friction and wear in bearings. Manufacturers estimate that HTD belts can improve efficiency by approximately 4% to 8% over standard V-belts. An average efficiency improvement of 5% is used in this analysis. Additional advantages include improved operation in oily and wet environments, and reduced maintenance.
HTD belts are not recommended in applications where belt slip under duress is desired. Conveyor systems are an example of an application where notched or standard V-belts are desirable instead of HTD belts. If the conveyor were to jam, a V-belt will slip and fail before damage is caused to the conveyor.
Templates
These templates are excel based spreadsheets that quickly and easily help users quantify energy savings, cost savings, implementation costs, and payback. The excel spreadsheets then automatically write a professional looking report for users to utilize as they see fit.
- Download the Efficient Belt Drives.xls Excel Sheet
Examples
Following is an example of a recommendation prepared with this tool:
- View the Efficient Belt Drives.pdf document
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