Why do the belts of the air cooler fans in gas compressors break frequently?
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We have 2 high-pressure gas compressors, along with a total of 24 air-cooled fan units. One compressor is in operation while another serves as a backup, so 12 fans are operating at any given time. The fan belts break frequently; on average, one belt breaks per week, which means that a single belt can last around 2-3 months. Is this situation normal? Under normal conditions, how long should the lifespan of a belt be? What aspects might be problematic? PS: It’s quite hot here; the temperature can reach 50 degrees at noon in summer.
It’s best to consult the manufacturer for this; they are authoritative in their opinions, for your reference.
We have also encountered this issue in overseas projects: belts wearing out and breaking frequently, especially in environments with high temperatures. In such cases, it is usually assumed that the problem lies with the quality of the belts; therefore, it is necessary to purchase belts from reputable manufacturers. In our projects, we found that the model numbers on the belts were printed on them later, and they came off easily when touched, indicating that they were substandard products. Additionally, the tension of the belts needs to be adjusted properly – the requirements for tension differ between new and used belts. It is also very important to ensure that the pulleys are aligned correctly. That’s basically all there is to consider
I think we should first check the quality issue with the belt
1. The belt must not be bent or pried, as this can affect its service life. 2. The belt tension should not be too loose or too tight; manufacturers generally provide standards for this. 3. There are also standards set by manufacturers regarding the parallelism of the belt. 4. Gates’ belts – it’s not clear whether they are synchronized; make sure they match properly, and also check the synchronization of the tooth engagement
It is recommended to replace the belt on one fan at the same time, and install the old belt, which has become quite worn out, on another fan. In this way, the belt of the same fan can bear a load for a longer time; this is how the V-belts on agricultural machinery were replaced when I was young
Thank you! But we have only one belt per fan.
May I ask, if a single device requires three belts, and the degree of wear on all three seems similar, there is still some difference, right? When used on one device, this uneven distribution of load can damage the device, and it may also cause increased vibration
You said that the three belts look similar; we need to find a way to confirm this further. I’m just suggesting a direction, broadening some ideas, to spark further discussion.
Thank you. Generally speaking, in reality, this approach is only used for devices of average importance or those for which vibration is not a concern
Check the belt; if there are any other signs of cracks or wear, it’s likely a problem with the belt itself. If it’s simply a broken section, one possible cause is that the belt is too tight. Also, check whether the belt is running upward or downward – improper alignment could be the issue, and this should be taken into consideration