
This rectangular fabric expansion joint is designed for high air circulation flow for an air cooling loop duct in a power plant. It measures 81″ L x 18″ W x 16″ face-to-face, and is fabricated with stainless steel angle, frame ends and internal liner. The fabric belt material is reinforced silicone fabric cloth, which can withstand temperatures up to 550°F. This expansion joint is rated for axial movement of +/- 1″ with a 1/2″ lateral offset. A dye penetrant test on all welds was conducted prior to a quality assurance inspection prior to shipment.

This rectangular fabric expansion joint will be used in an exhaust duct in a power plant. It measures 136″ L x 54″ W x 12″ face-to-face and is fabricated with stainless steel angle, frame ends and internal liner. The fabric belt material is PTFE coated glass cloth, which is low friction and high in tear/crease resistance and tensile strength. This expansion joint is rated for an axial movement of 1-1/2″ with a lateral offset of 1/2″ and maximum temperatures up to 600°F. A quality inspection was administered, including a dye penetrant test prior to shipment.
September 19th, 2011
John

Reasons to choose a fabric expansion joint:
- Good for high temperature applications
- High movement capabilities
- No size restraints
- Less expensive to design and fabricate
- See more reasons in our catalog

Reasons to choose a metal expansion joint
September 12th, 2011
John

This neoprene fabric expansion joint is 42″ I.D. by 7-3/4″ face-to-face and is designed for a generator cooling fan in a power plant. The angle frame ends are fabricated from carbon steel, and the neoprene fabric belt is fastened to the angle flanges by two stainless steel clamps. The expansion joint absorbs vibration between the air supply duct and the cooling fan. A dye penetrant exam was performed on the welds of the angle iron flanges prior to shipping to the customer ahead of schedule.
Trying to decide which type of fabric expansion joint to use in your application? Our new comparison chart lists the materials, temperature ranges, advantages, pressure, chemical resistance and applications.
View the Fabric Expansion Joint Materials Comparison Chart
The following are examples of expansion joints fabricated from a variety of materials.
Expansion Joints Fabricated with Neoprene Material:

Expansion Joints Fabricated with Reinforced Silicone Material:

Expansion Joints Fabricated with PTFE Impregnated Fiberglass Material:

Expansion Joints Fabricated with Silica Fabric Cloth Material:

Fabric expansion joints are often used in ducts which carry hot gases at very low pressures. Layers of different fabrics and insulation can be combined to accommodate the temperatures and pressure in the system.
Round Fabric Expansion Joints

Fabric expansion joint applications include, air and flue gas duct systems, flue gas desulfurization systems, gas turbines and diesel engine exhaust, incinerators, etc.
Rectangular Fabric Expansion Joints


Materials for fabric expansion joints include: silica cloth, mineral wool insulation pillows, PTFE coated fiberglass, ceramic fiberglass and aluminum coated fiberglass.
Furnace Sealing Bag
A special type of high temperature fabric expansion joint developed by U.S. Bellows, Inc. is a furnace sealing bag. The objective of the bag is to seal the air inlet conduits penetrations into a furnace and thus prevent heat loss.
View the Technical Bulletin on Furance Bags

128" x 229" Rectangular Fabric Expansion Joints

Rectangular Fabric Expansion Joints
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.
Design:
- Pressure: 1 PSIG
- Temperature: 1010°F
Design Movements:
- 2″ Axial Displacement
- 3/4″ Lateral Displacement

Two Fabric Expansion Joints for an Oil Refinery in Saudi Arabia

Side View
These are 24″ diameter fabric expansion joints with an overall face to face dimension of 12″. Each expansion joint weighs 300 lb. Installed in the inlet and exhaust piping of a hot air blower, they can withstand temperatures of up to 850F. These expansion joints were fabricated in three layers that consisted of aluminized fiberglass, ceramic fiber, and silica treated fabrics. The flanges were fabricated from carbon steel with special hex nuts welded to the inside of the bolt holes. The stud bolts are in place to assure correct alignment of the bolts to the flange bolt holes. Visual inspection and trial fitting of the stud bolts were performed to assure quality and performance.

3 Fabric Expansion Joints for a Power Company in Texas
These fabric expansion joints are made of stainless steel liner, flanged ends, backing bars, and PTFE impregnated fiberglass. They weigh between 370 lbs – 380 lbs and measure 81.15″ long, 18.44″ wide, and 16″ high. They are used in high temperature air ducts to allow for expansion. Its thermal growth consists of +/- 1/8 X-Y-Z directions. It is capable of withstanding 400°F at +/- 0.8 PSIG at a maximum flow of 130,650 ACFM. Standard testing was performed for quality assurance.

17 Fabric Expansion Joints for a Gas Turbine Power Plant

Close Up View of Fabric
These rectangular fabric expansion joints measure 136″ x 54″ with a weight of 135 lbs each. They were fabricated out of fiberglass fabric with stainless steel frames and are designed for ± 5 PSIG and 400°F. The expansion joints were manufactured according to specific customer specifications.