Belt Conveyor Power and Tension Calculator

Effective tension, power at the drive pulley and motor power for a belt conveyor, using the standard artificial-friction method.

Calculated from standard textbook formulas, with every step shown. The formulas are fixed, so the working does not need checking: what matters is the numbers you type in. Use these calculators only if you are competent to choose the inputs (loads, material strength, dimensions, supports) and check your units and assumptions. For learning and checking your own working: design and sign-off are for a qualified engineer. Drafting Central does not store the numbers you type.

How this calculator works

The power a belt conveyor needs is the effective tension in the belt times the belt speed. The effective tension is the sum of the friction of the idlers, belt and material over the length, the force to lift the material, and the allowances for skirts, scrapers, pulleys and accelerating the material.

The method used is the common artificial-friction one from the belt conveyor standards (ISO 5048 / DIN 22101 and CEMA). The calculator also checks the drive pulley: whether the belt can transmit the tension without slipping, from the friction on the pulley and the wrap angle. This is an estimate for sizing, not a conveyor design.

Formulas used

  • F_U = f\,L\,g\,\left(m_R + (2 m_B + m_L)\cos\delta\right) + m_L g H
  • P = F_U v
  • T_1/T_2 \le e^{\mu\theta}

Worked example

With the default numbers in the calculator above:

  1. Load per metre: 27.8 kg/m
  2. Main (friction) resistance: 1616 N
  3. Lift force: 2725 N
  4. Secondary allowance: 323 N
  5. Effective tension: 4.66 kN
  6. Drive power at the pulley: 10.4 kW
  7. Minimum slack-side tension: 1.95 kN
  8. Tight-side tension: 6.61 kN

Change the numbers in the calculator to see the full working, every step, for your own case.

Common questions

What friction factor f do I use?

About 0.02 for a well-aligned conveyor in normal conditions. It is higher for cold, dusty or poorly aligned conveyors.

What does the secondary resistance allowance cover?

Skirts, scrapers, pulleys, and accelerating the material at the loading point. A percentage of the main resistances.

Is this enough to design a conveyor?

No. It sizes the drive. The belt rating, take-up, idler spacing, transfer chutes and structure are separate designs.

Related calculators

Further reading: ISO 5048 and CMA / CEMA belt conveyor methods (licensed standards, cited as the source of the method only).

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