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Measure: Replace Ventilation Fan Drive Belts with Cogged or Synchronous Belts

Building Size: 5,000 gsf
Climate Zone: Hot - Humid

Measure: Replace Ventilation Fan Drive Belts with Cogged or Synchronous Belts

Building Size: 5,000 gsf
Climate Zone: Hot - Humid
Replace Ventilation Fan Drive Belts with Cogged or Synchronous Belts
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Measure Simple Payback (years) Approximate Capital Cost ($) Annual Energy Savings (kBtu/sf) Annual Energy Savings (kBtu/yr) Annual Cost Savings ($/sf) Annual Cost Savings ($/yr)
Replace Ventilation Fan Drive Belts with Cogged or Synchronous Belts 1-4 $1,280/belt -- 6,660/fan -- 9% of fan energy

Description:

What Is This Measure?

Cogged V-belts and synchronous-drive fan belts are a low-investment way to reduce the inefficiencies in ventilation fans caused by belt slippage and bending resistance. GSA, Rocky Mountain Region, put both belts to the test on two different fans in Denver, Colorado, and found significant energy savings with a simple payback of less than four years.

Special Considerations

  • Synchronous drive belts and cogged V-belts provide a relatively simple, low-cost way of achieving energy savings, but they must be installed correctly and applied in appropriate situations.
  • For VFD fans, the synchronous drive belts performed well and showed savings at all ranges of fan operation.
  • For CV fans, cogged V-belts are the best solution. Synchronous drive belts pose risks when combined with the CV fan’s high-torque starts and increased operational speed.

See GSA’s Green Proving Groundopens in new window for more details on the field demonstration findings.