A custom spring support was designed using a metal bellows instead of a spring coil. The bellows were fabricated from stainless steel because it will be used in a highly corrosive, off-shore environment. By utilizing the metallic bellows, it was much easier to customize for short-run production, produce variations of spring rate, and develop a high load-carrying capacity. An added benefit of using the bellows instead of a custom coil was that it reduced fabrication time by half. The rolled plate shown on the left is welded to the structural pipe on the platform and a riser clamp was attached on the right
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16″ Diameter Externally Pressurized Expansion Joints for an Oil Refinery
These externally pressurized expansion joints are 16″ in diameter and 60-1/4″ face-to-face. The bellows are fabricated from 304 stainless steel, and the rest of the expansion joint is fabricated from carbon steel. They are custom-designed for 8″ axial movement and 150 psig at 176°F, with a spring rate of 2,152 lb./in. Each expansion joint was hydro-tested, radiographic tested, and dye penetrant tested prior to shipment.
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