Date: Thursday, June 14, 2012 / Time: 10:00 am CST
* Live Webinars are approved for 1 PDH credit for TX P.E.’s
This presentation will briefly touch on the basics of fabric expansion joints; however, is mainly focused on the various designs, material details, and applications. Learn how fabric expansion joints are engineered and fabricated for various applications and the many factors that influence those designs. View the abundance of materials used, including Fluoroplastic and Fluoroelastomer, and their respective capabilities. Take a journey through a Fossil Fired Power Plant and see exactly where fabric expansion joints are required.
Neoprene fabric expansion joints were custom designed for a ventilation fan intake duct in a power plant. They are 42″ in diameter and are 65″ in overall length. They were designed for 1/4″ axial movement, 1/8″ lateral deflection and a 100″ water column at 200°F. The expansion joints are fabricated with a neoprene reinforced belt with stainless steel clamps, carbon steel spool pipe and angle flange ends. Each joint was dye penetrant examined prior to shipping.
View images of metallic and fabric expansion joints, duct work, and combination assemblies.
Also read the details on the project itself, including design specifications and testing requirements.
The projects are conveniently grouped by the type of expansion joint and then listed descending by the release date.
Here are a few examples:
36″ Tied Universal Expansion Joint for a Petrochemical Plant in Kuwait
U.S. Bellows Inc. designed and fabricated a 36″ tied universal expansion joint for a petrochemical plant in Kuwait. The expansion joint measures 36″ in diameter x 318″ from center of elbow to face of flange. It is fabricated from 316H stainless steel with Inconel® 800 bellows. The design pressure of the expansion joint is 65 PSIG, and the design temperature is 1076°F. It is designed for axial compression within the tie rods and lateral movement of 3.02″. Hydro-testing was performed at 98 PSIG to assure the integrity of the tie rods and also to assure quality. The pictures show the expansion joint leaving the shop on its way to the customer. The stainless steel flange faces are protected with 3/4″ plywood during delivery.
44″ Double Gimbal Universal Expansion Joint for an Oil Refinery in Wyoming
This gimbal expansion joint is designed for angular rotation in two planes of up to 4° in each plane. It has an overall length of 140″ with a total assembly weight of 11,000 lb. It is fabricated with 316 stainless steel bellows and carbon steel piping. This expansion joint was 100% dye-penetrant examined and hydro-tested prior to shipment. U.S. Bellows, Inc. and Piping Technology & Products, Inc. also furnished the spring supports and pipe attachments for this project.
128″ x 229″ Rectangular Fabric Expansion Joints for an Exhaust Duct
The fabric expansion joints shown above are fabricated with a three layer fabric belt. The three layers consist of an inner layer of silica cloth, a middle layer of mineral wool and an outer layer of PTFE/coated fiber glass. The frame includes an insulation blanket of mineral wool and stainless steel wire mesh. The frame and liner are fabricated from 3/8″ thick 304 stainless steel and each expansion joint’s frame and liner welds were dye-penetrant tested before shipping.
A tied universal expansion joint was custom designed for service in an acid regeneration plant in Louisiana. It is 48″ in diameter, 141″ in overall length and designed for 1″ axial movement, 2-1/2″ lateral movement and .33° angular rotation. The expansion joint is fabricated with 310 stainless steel bellows, and 301 SS liner, duct, flanges, transition duct and covers. It was designed for 10 psig at 1150°F, and was dye penetrant examined, hydro-tested at 15 psig, and the bellows and pipe longitudinal weld seams were 100% x-rayed.
View the technical data, including maximum axial and lateral movement, number of corrugations, etc. for single, multi-ply and externally pressurized metallic expansion joints.
A total of thirty-six fabric expansion joints were custom designed for a lignite coal processing and gasification plant in Mississippi. They are 12″ diameter, 14″ overall length and designed for 1/4″ axial movement and .8″ lateral movement. The expansion joints are fabricated with carbon steel flange ends, stainless steel clamps and a PTFE coated fabric belt. They are designed for hot air circulation flow at 600°F and a pressure of 30″ water column.
Fabric expansion joints are often used in ducts which carry hot gases at low pressures. The major design parameters are the temperatures and flow rates of the gases and the amount and abrasiveness of solids suspended in the gases. Layers of different fabrics insulation can be combined to accommodate the temperatures and pressure in the system. We specialize in all types of fabric expansion joints from high temperature furnace bags to fabric expansion joint and duct work assemblies.
View the Materials Comparison Chart to see the details behind each material used in fabric expansion joints.
Air Duct Fabric
Expansion Joint
44″ Dia. Fabric
Expansion Joint
24″ Dia. Fabric
Expansion Joint
Get pricing now for your next fabric expansion joint project.
These universal metallic expansion joints were custom designed for an offshore application. They are 42″ diameter, 24″ overall length and designed for 2″ axial movement and 1-1/2″ lateral movement. The expansion joints are fabricated entirely from 316 L stainless steel and designed for 1,000°F and 1 psig. Each unit was 100% dye penetrant examined and soap and air tested prior to shipment.
A special type of high-temperature fabric expansion joint developed by U.S. Bellows, Inc. is the furnace sealing bag. The objective of the bag is to seal the air inlet conduits’ penetrations into a furnace and thus prevent heat loss. Because of thermal expansion of both the conduits and the furnace, the bag must be able to expand and contract during normal cycles of operation.
The bag consists of a tapered sleeve formed from layers of flexible, flame and heat-resistant impervious fabric, which is connected at its upper end to another sleeve in the furnace floor. The lower end of the bag is connected to the air inlet
conduit (usually a pipe) so as to form an airtight seal. The connection to this pipe is made such that the fabric is collapsed when the furnace is cold and extended when the furnace is hot. When required, a tapered coil spring formed from suitable metal is installed around the conduit inside the bag. This prevents the fabric from collapsing inward during vacuum conditions inside the furnace. For most applications, band straps may be used to attach the bag at both ends.
* Live Webinars are approved for 1 PDH credit for TX P.E.’s
Get to know U.S. Bellows from introducing our team and manufacturing capabilities to exploring design details in technical drawings for large-scale projects. View case studies that lead to the creation of new standards and designs. Learn about cost saving measures for expansion joint failures and how to prevent future problems.
U.S. Bellows, Inc., a division of PT&P, has more than 50 years of experience designing and manufacturing expansion joints, along with replacement and repair services.
This presentation will briefly touch on the basics of fabric expansion joints; however, is mainly focused on the various designs, material details, and applications. Learn how fabric expansion joints are engineered and fabricated for various applications and the many factors that influence those designs. View the abundance of materials used, including Fluoroplastic and Fluoroelastomer, and their respective capabilities. Take a journey through a Fossil Fired Power Plant and see exactly where fabric expansion joints are required.
Get to know U.S. Bellows from introducing our team and manufacturing capabilities to exploring design details in technical drawings for large-scale projects. View case studies that lead to the creation of new standards and designs. Learn about cost saving measures for expansion joint failures and how to prevent future problems.