KEVOS® MAKEOS · Power Transmission
Belt Conveyor Drive Sizing
What belt pull and motor power does this belt conveyor need, and will the drive pulley grip without slipping?
Simplified sizing of a belt conveyor drive: load per metre from the throughput and speed, effective belt tension from idler and belt resistance (an overall friction factor) plus lift, power at the drive pulley and at the motor, minimum slack-side tension for the drive pulley’s wrap and friction (Euler), tight-side tension, pulley torque and speed.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Throughput | t/h | Material conveyed per hour. |
| Belt speed | m/s | Belt speed. |
| Conveyor length (centres) | m | Horizontal length between pulley centres. |
| Lift (positive up) | m | Height the material is lifted (negative for a decline). |
| Belt and idler moving mass per metre (both runs) | kg/m | Mass per metre of belt (both runs) plus the rotating parts of the idlers. |
| Overall friction factor | Overall resistance factor for idlers, belt flexing and material (about 0.02–0.03 for well-aligned conveyors). | |
| Drive pulley friction coefficient | Friction between belt and drive pulley (about 0.35 lagged, 0.25 bare and dry). | |
| Wrap on the drive pulley | ° | Angle of the drive pulley covered by the belt. |
| Drive pulley diameter | mm | Diameter of the drive pulley. |
| Drive efficiency | % | Efficiency of the gearbox and couplings. |
| Motor margin | % | Margin above the calculated power for the motor. |
Method and formulas
- Material load q = Q ÷ (3.6 v) kg/m.
- Effective tension T_e = f g L (q + q_m) + q g H.
- Power = T_e v; motor = power ÷ η × (1 + margin).
- No slip: slack tension T₂ ≥ T_e ÷ (e^(μθ) − 1); tight tension T₁ = T₂ + T_e (Euler); pulley torque = T_e D ÷ 2.
- Example: 100 t/h at 1.5 m/s over 50 m with 5 m lift needs about 2.7551 kW at the motor.
Limitations
- Single overall friction factor; detailed design uses the full DIN 22101 or CEMA method.
- Starting tensions are higher; check belt strength at start-up.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- Estimate motor size for a belt conveyor
- Set take-up tension to stop belt slip
- Check a conveyor after raising its throughput
Who it is for
- Materials-handling engineers
- Plant engineers
- Maintenance engineers
What you get
- Material load and effective tension
- Power at pulley and motor
- Belt tensions, pulley torque and speed
Interpreting the result
- On long horizontal conveyors friction dominates; on short steep ones lift dominates.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 2487–2512. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
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