Steps to Calculate The Speed Of A Conveyor Belt:
Determine conveyor specifications:
- Belt width (BW) – measure width or check specs
- Pulley diameters (D1 and D2)
- Gear ratio if geared (G)
- Motor RPM (N)
Calculate pulley circumference:
C1 = π x D1
C2 = π x D2
Determine conveyor belt speed using:
S = (N x C1 x G) / C2
Where:
S = Belt speed (m/s or ft/min)
N = Motor RPM
C1, C2 = Pulley circumferences
G = Gear ratio
Convert units if needed:
- m/s to ft/min: Multiply by 196.8
Example:
Belt width = 18 in
Drive pulley diameter = 12 in
Driven pulley diameter = 6 in
Motor RPM = 1440
Gear ratio = 1:1
C1 = 12 in x π = 37.7 in
C2 = 6 in x π = 18.8 in
S = (1440 x 37.7 x 1) / 18.8 = 2880 ft/min
So for a 12 in drive pulley and 6 in driven pulley, with a 1440 RPM motor, the belt speed is 2880 ft/min.
Here are some common conveyor belt calculations:
Belt Length Calculation:
Length = 2 x (Center to center distance between pulleys + π x (D1 + D2)/2) Where D1 and D2 are the drive and driven pulley diameters.
Belt Speed Calculation:
Speed = π x D1 x RPM / 60 Where D1 is drive pulley diameter and RPM is motor speed.
Tension Calculation:
T1 = (W x F x K) / (D1 x π) T2 = (W x F x K) / (D2 x π) Where T1 and T2 are tensions, W is belt load, F is friction factor, K is safety factor, D1/D2 are pulley diameters.
Horsepower Calculation:
HP = (W x S x K) / (33,000 x E) Where W is belt load, S is speed, K is safety factor, E is belt efficiency.
Belt Conveyor Capacity:
Q = V x W x Bulk Density Where Q is capacity in tonnes/hour, V is belt speed in m/sec, W is belt width in metres.
Incline Angle Calculation:
A = tan-1 (H/L) Where A is angle, H is height difference, L is inclined length.
These formulas are useful for designing and operating conveyor belt systems efficiently. The key is to use accurate input data.