TRANSMISSION OF POWER

A system that transmits power from one mechanical element to another mechanical
element is called a Power transmission system.
Different types of transmission systems are
1. Belt Drives
2. Rope Drives
3. Chain Drives
4. Gear Drives
The Selection of this transmission system is depends on
• Distance between driver and driven pulley shaft.
• Operational speed.
• Power to be transmitted.

When the distance between the shafts is large, belts or ropes are used and for the
intermediate distances chains are used. Gear Drives are used for short distances.
Belts, Ropes and Chain drives:
Belt, ropes and chain drives are used to transmit the power from one shaft to
another by means of pulleys which rotate at the same speed or at different speeds.
Belt, ropes and chain drives are the flexible drives.
Chain drives and the gear drives are called positive drives because of no slip. Since
the belt drives and rope drives transmits the power due to the friction between the
belt or rope and the pulley, there is a possibility of slip and creep and thus, these
are not positive drive.
Belt drives:
To transmit power from one shaft
to another, pulleys are mounted on
the two shafts. The pulleys are then
connected by an endless belt passing
over the pulleys as shown in fig. The
connecting belt is kept in tension so
that motion of the pulley is transferred
to the other without slip. The speed of
the driven shaft can be varied by
varying the diameters of the pulleys.
During the rotation of the belt, the outer and inner faces are subjected to
tension and compression respectively. In between there is a neutral section which
has no tension or compression.
In case of belts, friction between the belt and pulley used to transmit power.
In practice there is always some amount of slip between belt and pulleys, therefore
exact velocity ratio cannot be obtained. Hence, belt drive is not a positive drive.
Therefore, the belt drive is used where exact velocity ratio is not required. Belts
used for power transmission must be strong, flexible, durable and must have a
coefficient of friction.
The material used for belt drives are Leather, fabric, rubber, balata, woven cotton
etc.,
Types of Belt:

Flat Belt: The flat belt, as shown in fig. (a), is 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 not more than 8 meters apart.
V- Belt: The V- Belt, as shown in fig. (b), is mostly used in the factories and
workshops, where moderate amount of power to be transmitted, from one pulley to
another, when the two pulleys are very near to each other.
Circular belt or rope: The circular belt or rope, as shown in fig. (c), is mostly used
in the factories and workshops, where a great amount of power is to be transmitted,
from one pulley to another, when the two pulleys are more than 8 meters apart.

Types of belt drives:

Open Belt Drives:
The open belt drive is used with shafts
arranged parallel and rotating in the same
direction. The tension in the lower side belt
will be more than that in the upper side belt.
The lower side belt (because of more tension)
is known as tight side whereas the upper side
belt (because of less tension) is known as
slack side.
Cross Belt Drives:
The crossed or twist belt drive is used with
shafts arranged parallel and rotating in the
opposite directions. The belt RQ (because of
more tension) is known as tight side, whereas
the belt LM (because of less tension) is known
as slack side.
Velocity Ratio of a belt drive:
It is the ratio between the velocities of the driver and the follower or
driven.
Let d1 and d2 are the diameters of driver and driven pulley.
And N1 & N2 are the speeds of driver pulley and driven pulley in rpm
resp.
π d1 N 1
Length of the belt that passes over the driver/sec =
60
π d2 N 2
Length of the belt that passes over the driven/sec =
60
As the driver and driven are connected by a single belt, the length of
belt that passing over driver and driven per a given time is constant.
π d1 N 1 π d2 N 2
Hence, =
60 60
N 2 d1
∴ Velocity ratio of a simple belt drive, =
N 1 d2
N 2 d 1 +t
If the belt thickness is also connected then, =
N 1 d 2 +t

Velocity ratio of a compound belt drive:

Let d1, d2, d3, d4 are the diameters
of the pulleys 1,2,3,4 resp.
N1, N2, N3, N4 are the speeds of the
pulleys 1,2,3,4 resp.
Velocity ratio of pulleys 1 & 2
N 2 d1
=
N 1 d2
Velocity ratio of pulleys 3 & 4
N 4 d3
=
N 3 d4

Multiplying both equations,

N 2 N 4 d1 d3
x = x
N 1 N3 d2 d4
Since pulley 2 and 3 both are keyed to the same shaft N 2 = N3
N 4 d1 d3
= x
N 1 d2 d4

Speed of last driven Product of diameters of drivers

∴ Speed of first driver = Product of diameters of drivens
Slip of the belt:
Consider an open belt drive rotating in clockwise direction, this
rotation of belt over the pulley is due to the friction grip between the
pulleys and belt. But sometimes, the frictional grip becomes insufficient.
This may cause the some forward motion of the driver without carrying
the belt with it. This may also cause some forward motion of the belt
without carrying the driven pulley with it. This is called Slip of the belt
and it is generally expressed in percentage. The result of the belt
slipping is to reduce the velocity ratio of the system.
Let S1% = slip between the driver and the belt, and
S2% = slip between the belt and the follower.
Then the Velocity ratio,
N 2 d1 S S d
=
N 1 d2( )( ) (
1− 1 1− 2 = 1 1−
100 100 d 2
S
100 ) ∵ S = S1 + S2

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

N 2 d 1 +t S1 S2 d 1 +t
= (
N 1 d 2 +t
1− )(
100
1− )
=
100 d 2 +t (
1−
S
100 )
Problems:
1. An Engine shaft running at 120 rpm is required to drive a machine shaft by
means of a belt. The pulley on the engine shaft is of 2m diameter and that of
the machine shaft is 1m diameter. If the belt is 5mm; determine the speed of
the machine shaft, when (i) there is no slip (ii) there is a slip of 3%
2. A Shaft runs at 80 rpm and drives another shaft at 160 rpm through belt
drive. The diameter of the driving pulley is 600mm. Determine the diameter
of the driven pulley in the following cases.
(i) neglecting belt thickness
(ii) taking belt thickness as 5mm
(iii) taking belt thickness and a total slip of 4%
(iv) taking belt thickness and a slip of 2% on each pulley
3. A engine running at 150 rpm and drives a line shaft by means of a belt. The
engine pulley is 600mm diameter and the pulley on the line shaft being
450mm. A 900mm diameter pulley on the line shaft drives a 150mm diameter
pulley keyed to a dynamo shaft. Find the speed of the dynamo shaft, when (i)
there is no slip, and (ii) there is a slip of 2% at each drive.
4. A shaft runs at 80 rpm and drives another shaft at 150 rpm through belt drive.
The diameter of the driving pulley is 600mm. Determine the diameter of the
driven pulley when (i) neglecting belt thickness (ii) taking belt thickness as
5mm (iii) taking belt thickness and a total slip of 4 % (iv) taking belt thickness
and a slip of 2% on each pulley
Effect of Creep on Velocity ratio:
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 the tight side to slack
side. Due to these changes of length, there is a relative motion between the belt
and the pulley. This relative motion is termed as Creep. The total effect of creep is
to reduce slightly the speed of the driven pulley or follower.
Considering Creep, the velocity ratio is given by,
N 2 d 1 E +√ σ 2
= x
N 1 d 2 E+ √σ ❑
σ1 and σ2 = stress in the belt on the tight and slack side respectively, and
E = Young’s modulus for the material of the belt.
Problem:
1. The power is transmitted from a pulley of 1m diameter running at 200 rpm to a
pulley of 2m diameter by means of a belt. Find the speed of the driven pulley as a
result of creep, if the stress on the tight and slack side of the belt is 1.4MPa and
0.5MPa respectively. The Young’s modulus for the material of the belt is 10MPa.
2. The driving pulley of an open belt drive is of 900 mm diameter and rotates at 250
rpm while transmitting power to a driven pulley of 300 mm diameter. The Young’s
modulus of the belt material is 110N/mm2. Determine the speed lost by the driven
pulley due to creep if the stresses in the tight and slack sides of the belt are
found to be 0.8N/mm2 and 0.32N/mm2 resp.
Length of an open belt drive:
let r1 and r2 = radii of the larger and
smaller pulleys,
x = distance between the centres of the
two pulleys and
L = Total length of the belt.
2
π ( d −d )
L= ( d 1 +d 2 ) +2 x+ 1 2
2 4x

Length of a cross belt drive:

let r1 and r2 = radii of the larger and
smaller pulleys,
x = distance between the centres of the
two pulleys and
L = Total length of the belt.
2
π (d +d )
L= ( d 1 +d 2 ) +2 x+ 1 2
2 4x

Problems:
1. Two Pulleys, one 450mm diameter and the other 200mm diameter
are on parallel shafts 1.95m apart and are connected by a belt. Find
the length of the belt required and the angle of contact between the
belt and each pulley if the belt is (i) Open belt and (ii) Cross belt.
2. Two parallel shafts, connected by a cross belt, are provided with
pulleys 480mm and 600mm in diameters. The distance between the
centre lines of the shafts is 3m. Find by how much the length of the
belt should be changed if it is desired to alter the direction of
rotation of the driven shaft.
Ratio of Tensions
(i) Flat Belt
Let T1 : belt tension on the tight side
T2 : belt tension on the slack side
Ɵ : angle of contact in radians
µ : Coefficient of friction between the
belt and pulley.
ratio of driving tensions for flat belt is
T1
2.3 log ( )
T2
=μθ

(ii) V- Belt or Rope

ratio of driving tensions for V- belt is

T1
2.3 log ( )
T2
=μθ cscβ

Power Transmission
In a belt drive, driving pulley pulls the belt from one side and delivers
the same to other side. Thus the tension on the tight side will be more
than the slack side.
Let T1 and T2 (N): Tensions in the tight and slack side of the belt
respectively.
V (m/s): Linear velocity of the belt
P: Power transmitted
Then the effective driving force at the circumference of the follower is T 1
- T2
Work done per second = Power transmitted (P) = (T1 – T2) V
{Nm/s}
Problems:
1.A Pulley is driven by a flat belt running at a speed of 600 m/min. The
coefficient of friction between the pulley and the belt is 0.3 and the
angle of lap is 1600. If the maximum tension in the belt is 700N, find
the power transmitted.
2.In a belt drive, belt speed is 12m/s. the drive transmits 18kW of
power. Determine the initial tension in the belt. Coefficient of friction
is 0.3 and the angle of lap on smaller pulley is 220 0.
3.Find the power transmitted by a belt running over a pulley of 600mm
diameter at 200rpm. The coefficient of friction between the belt and
pulley is 0.25, angle of lap 160 0 and maximum tension in the belt is
2500N.
4. In a flat belt drive the initial tension is 2000N. The coefficient of
friction between the belt and the pulley is 0.3 and the angle of lap on
the smaller pulley is 1500. The smaller pulley has a radius of 200mm
and rotates at 500rpm. Find the (i) Velocity of belt (ii) Ratio of tensions
and (iii) Power transmitted by the belt.