Coupling: How to Couple Reciprocating Compressor with Electric Motor

An electric motor or diesel engine is used to operate the compressor. Various methods are used in engineering for coupling the Air Compressor. Some compressors are run by tire coupling and some are run by direct coupling. And also some are run by V-Belts coupling.
 
Many times customers phoned me about abnormal sound from the compressor when I reach to inspect, I found that sound is due to loose v-belts on pulley and belt wheel.
 
So, here I will cover the most useful method of coupling for air compressors which has a capacity of 100 cubic feet/minute or above.
air compressor coupling methods

So, How to Install V-Belts

In assembling the drive, the electric motor or prime mover should be moved towards the Air Compressor Belt wheel.

The sliding rails are provided for this purpose. In this way, you can put the V-Belts in their respective grooves by hand. The allowance must be available for adjustment of center distance.

When V-belts have been placed on belt wheel and pulley grooves, the electric motor or prime mover should then be, moved away from the compressor, until to apply uniform tension to the V-Belts.

Under no circumstances should V-Belts be forced onto the pulley or belt wheel with Crowbars, Wedges, Screw Driver, or any other type of implement.

Such procedure would tend to cause rupture to an outside jacket or inside cords. It is possible for the inside load-carrying cords to be broken by forcing over the grooves, such V-Belt will fail completely during the first few hours of running.

  • How to give Tension to V-Belts

01) Measure the center distance between the compressor belt wheel and the electric motor pulley (in meters). Multiply this distance by 16 to obtain the allowable deflection distance of belts in millimeters (mm).

02) Set the lower marking ring at the allowable deflection distance required in millimeters on the lower scale of the Belt Tension Indicator.

03) Set the upper marker ring against the bottom edge of the top tube.

04) Place the belt tension indicator on top of the belt at the center of spam, and apply a force at a right angle to the belt-deflecting it to the point where the lower marker ring is level with the top of the adjacent by the top edge.

05) Read off the force value indicated by the top edge of the upper marking ring.

06) Compare this force value to the Kgf value in the standard table which is provided with a belt tension indicator. If the measured force falls within the value given the drive should be satisfactory.

07) A measured force below the lower value indicates tensioning and the upper value indicates over-tensioning. Make corrections accordingly.

08) The new belts should be tensioned to a higher value to allow for the normal drop-in tension during the running period of the Air Compressor.

09) Run the compressor under load for 30 minutes, stop the compressor, and check the tension, re-setting to the required value, if necessary.

10) After the air compressor has been running for a few days the V-Belts will have seated in the grooves and the V-Belts tension should be rechecked. Make adequate provision for tensioning the belts during their life.

If you follow the above procedure and rules of coupling then there is no doubt that you will get maximum life from your v-belts.

Besides this information, you are suggested to read something more from below engineering books

So, Here you find the Best Engineering Resources for further details

To get the more details about the topic, I further recommended reading

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