Design of Belt-Tensioner Systems for Dynamic Stability

Belt drive systems are an effective means for power transmission which offer the advantages of light weight, low cost, quietness, and efficiency. Recently in automotive applications there has been a trend to power several accessories with a single drive belt in order to reduce overall vehicle size and weight. Since these belts are typically longer than conventional belts, a tensioner component is added to maintain acceptable belt tension levels. In this paper we describe several potential instability mechanisms for belt-tensioner systems, and present a design methodology to ensure good dynamic performance of such systems. A mathematical model of the belt-tensioner system, and numerical solution methods, are utilized to develop a computer-aided design procedure. Numerical results, and confirming experimental data, are presented for a particular automotive belt-tensioner system.