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81″ Diameter Pressure Balanced Tee Expansion Joints Custom Designed for a Chemical Plant

February 7, 2023

81” Diameter Pressure Balanced Tee Expansion Joints Custom Designed for a Chemical Plant

Type: Pressure Balanced Tee Expansion Joints
Size: 352″ OAL | 81″ Dia. | 90″ Centerline to Bevel End
Material: 304 Stainless Steel | CS
Design 392°F at 15 psig | 6″ Axial Compression
Testing: 100% Dye Penetrant | Air Soap and Bubble test

U.S. Bellows custom designed pressure balanced tee expansion joints for a chemical plant in Texas. The units are 352″ overall length, 81″ diameter, and 90″ center line to the bevel-end of the tee. All assemblies were completely fabricated from 304 stainless steel. They are designed for an operating temperature of 392°F at 15 psig, with 6″ of axial compression and 1.25″ of lateral deflection. The expansion joints were 100% dye penetrate tested and air soap and bubble tested prior to shipment.

We can also design and manufacture refractory lined expansion joints for these types that are able to expand and contract as conditions move from hot to cold. These units can be installed in refineries, power plants, and various green energy facilities where no other option is practical. Our team of engineers and manufacturing staff are ready and willing to assist in helping solve any design and/or manufacturing challenges. We can also refurbish existing units to help decrease the time operations are shut down. We assure you that our 24×7 web-based emergency and quick-turn-around service can help when you need it most.
View Expansion Joint Product Section.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 04192019

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Hinged Expansion Joints Designed for a Steam Exhaust Application

January 10, 2023

Usbellows hinged expansion joints 159045

Type: Hinged Expansion Joints
Size: 42″ Long | 16″ Nominal Pipe Size
Material: 316L Stainless Steel | Carbon Steel
Design 400°F at 150 psig | 4.25″ Lateral | 1° Angular
Testing: 100% Dye Pen. | Bellows Longitudinal Seams
100% X-rayed | Hydro-Tested at 250 psig

U.S. Bellows custom-designed hinged universal expansion joint for a steam exhaust application at a chemical plant in Texas for one of the largest cracker installations in the USA to support the manufacture of mainly olefins and polypropylene. The units are 42″ long and have a nominal pipe size of 16″. The bellows are fabricated from 316L stainless steel. The flanges, pipe spool, and hardware are carbon steel. They are designed for an operating temperature of 400°F at 150 psig. They are capable of 4.25″ lateral deflection and 1° of angular movement. The expansion joints were 100% dye penetrant tested, the bellows longitudinal seams were 100% X-rayed, and a hydro-test at 250 psig was performed prior to shipment.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 02112020

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Single Flanged Expansion Joints for a Leading Manufacturer & Designer of Transformers & Power Supplies for an Industrial Applications Company

November 8, 2022

U.s. bellows custom designed single fanged expansion joints for a leading manufacturer & designer of transformers & power supplies for an industrial applications company

Type: Single Flanged Expansion Joint
Size: 5″ Length | 6″ ID | 11″ O.D.
Material: ASTM A240-316 Stainless Steel
Design 200°F | 150 psig | 7,942 lb/in. Lateral Spring Rate
0.625 ” Axial Travel | 803 lb/in. Axial Spring Rate
0.125″ Lateral Offset | 225 psig Test Pressure
Testing: 100% Dye-Penetrant | Air, Soap, & Bubble

These units were sold to a company that manufactures customized power conversion solutions used in power supplies, transformers, inductors and capacitors for industrial and military applications. Expansion joints are used in a wide range of industries from automotive, food processing, biofuels, and wastewater treatment plants. This expansion joint is simply a bellows element with flanged end connections. Regardless of accessories, such as liners and covers, it will deflect in any direction or plane. It is the least expensive type of metal expansion joint but requires that the piping be controlled or guided as to the specified direction of the movements required. This type of expansion joint should not be expected to control the movement of the pipe. If the piping analysis shows that the expansion joint must accept axial compression, then the piping must be guided and constrained so that only that movement will occur. This expansion joint will not resist any deflection other than the resistance of the bellows, which is a function of the spring rate times the deflection amount. It is incapable of resisting the pressure thrust along its axis, which is the product of the pressure times the effective, or cross-sectional, area of the bellows. Large diameter units, even with low pressures, can generate very large axial pressure thrust forces, which must be contained by main and directional anchors. Otherwise, the expansion joint will exceed its designed function.

Piping Technology and its subsidiaries, in this case, US Bellows, prides itself on its long-standing relationships with ALL its customers. We have worked with this client for over 10 years with our first project in the early 2000s. We have been their vendor of choice for almost every expansion joint since then. We believe we must be strategic partners with our clients to understand their technical, delivery, and commercial needs to best move forward. This is where we are different than other key players as we have “in-house” technical and manufacturing expertise in our plant located in Houston, Texas to address customer queries or updates in real-time. An example of what our customers say:

“Thank you very much for the excellent work you and your associates at USB provided on my expansion joint order. Although we agreed to 10-day rush delivery, your shop responded to my project schedule and delivered 14 bellows assemblies in only 7 days from my order. This quick delivery helped us avert a scheduling conflict on a very critical project. I would be glad to recommend U.S. Bellows to anyone in need of a quality product with on-time or better delivery. 2022”

*Designed in accordance with the Standards of the Expansion Joint Manufacturers Association, 10th E, and welding per ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section IX.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 08252020

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66″ Diameter Hinged Expansion Joints Designed for a Chemical Plant (PT&P Ref#132483)

October 11, 2022

132483a1

 

Type: Hinged Expansion Joint
Size: 66″ in diameter and 39-3/8″ OAL
Material: Incoloy 825 / 321 stainless steel
Design 73 psig at 986°F with 4.25 degrees of angular rotation
Testing: Dye Penetrant, X-Ray, PMI, Hydrotest

These single hinged expansion joints were custom designed by U.S. Bellows for a chemical plant in Saudi Arabia. The units are 66″ in diameter and 39-3/8″ OAL. The bellows are fabricated from Incoloy 825 with the weld ends, hinges, liner, and cover from 321 stainless steel. The expansion joints are designed for an operating pressure of 73 psig at 986°F with 4.25 degrees of angular rotation. All units were dye-penetrant tested, X-ray tested on all bellows and pipe longitudinal weld seams, PMI tested on all alloy components, and the alloy steel plate for the pipe was ultrasonic tested prior to shipment. Hinged Pipe Expansion Joints also contain hinges or pivots which allow the unit to bend in a single plane. We’ve supplied this type of expansion joint for both methanol and ammonia plants. They are also used in piping systems for Air, Steam, Gas Turbines, Reformer Ducts, and Burners. These units are designed to restrict axial deflection in extension or compression. The hinge mechanism is typically designed to accept full-pressure thrust. Also, because of the hinge mechanism’s design, shear loads, such as from the weight of adjacent piping, can be accepted by this pipe expansion joint, relieving the piping designer of having to provide additional supports and anchors required by the Single type.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 06182019

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Fabric Expansion Joint Designed for a High-Temperature Duct Application

September 6, 2022

Usbellows fabric expansion joint 170218

Type: Fabric Expansion Joints
Size: 67″ Long x 67″ Wide x 14″ Tall
Material: 3-Layer Fabric Belt with Kaowool Insulation
304 Stainless Steel Angle Flanges
Design Operating Temp: 2012°F at +/- 100″ Water Column
1″ of Lateral Deflection
Testing: 100% Dye Penetrant Testing & Q.C. Inspection

Fabric pipe expansion joints are often used in ducts that carry hot gasses at low pressures. The major design parameters are the temperatures and flow rates of the gasses and the amount and abrasiveness of solids suspended in the gasses. This fabric expansion joint utilizes a bulky flexible material, also called an Insulation Pillow, to shield against high temperatures protecting the belting material. Refractory is also used in the construction of this joint but is designed so that it does not interfere with movement. Our experienced engineers know that every element of this expansion joint plays a role in its rating for certain temperatures and the number of hours of operation. View Fabric Expansion Joints Product Section.
Fabric expansion joints are key in the systems supporting power and refining plants focused around renewable carbon-neutral product offerings. We have worked with the new entrants in the marketplace but also helped our long-term clients transition their older fossil fuel-based assets to green technology. These plants include biochar from biomass processing, carbon black, clean hydrogen, styrene, and cement.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 03182020

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Hinged Expansion Joints Custom-Designed for a Process that Produces High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

August 10, 2022

Hinged Expansion Joints Custom-Designed for a Process that Produces High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

U.S. Bellows custom designed these hinged expansion joints for a Polyolefin process which produces High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) resin at a chemical plant. Polyolefins are a family of polyethylene and polypropylene thermoplastics. The job included expansion joints ranging from 12″ to 32″ NPS. The units pictured above have a nominal pipe size of 16″. The bellows and liner were fabricated from 304 stainless steel and the flanges, cover, and hardware from carbon steel. They are designed for an operating temperature of 176°F at 145 psig and 1° of angular movement. The expansion joints were 100% dye penetrant tested, the bellows longitudinal seam welds were 100% X-rayed, PMI examined, and hydro-tested prior to shipment.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 12162020

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Tied Universal Elbow Expansion Joint Custom-Designed for Ammonia and Waste Processing for a Liquid Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant

July 5, 2022

Usbellows tied universal expansion joint 143516

Type: Tied Universal Elbow Expansion Joint
Size: 20″ Dia. | 112″ Face-of-Flange to Center Line of Elbow OAL
Material: Inconel® 625 Bellows | 304 H Stainless Steel
Design Operating Temp: 1,150°F at 140 psig | 4″ Lateral Deflection
Testing: Dye Penetrant Examined | 100% X-Rayed Bellows | Hydro-tested

U.S. Bellows, Inc. custom-designed a tied universal elbow expansion joint for ammonia and waste processing for a nitrogen fertilizer plant. The bellows and liner are fabricated from Inconel® 625. The pipe, tie rods, and flanges are fabricated from 304 H stainless steel. It is designed for an operating temperature of 1,150°F at 140 psig and 4″ of lateral deflection. The assembly is 20″ in diameter and 112″ face-of-flange to the centerline of elbow OAL. The unit was 100% x-rayed, dye-penetrate examined, and hydro-tested before shipment.

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27″ Dia. Universal Expansion Joints Designed for a Wastewater Treatment Plant

June 6, 2022


27” Dia. Universal Expansion Joints Designed for a Pipeline in Florida

U.S. Bellows designed universal expansion joints for a wastewater treatment plant in Florida. This was done for a longtime client and market leader in wastewater management, energy services, water, and wastewater treatment. The units are 60″ tall and have a 26.75″ inside diameter. The bellows, cover, liner, and weld-ends are fabricated from 304 stainless steel. They are designed for an operating temperature of 1000°F at 11 psig, with 2″ axial compression and lateral deflection. The units were pneumatically tested at 12 psig prior to shipment. The on-site inspection was done by the client and the EPC firm at our manufacturing facility with our Engineers present to provide any additional clarity that was needed.

U.S. Bellows, EJMA member, is a leader in bellows design and manufacturing. With our manufacturing and engineering both in Houston, we have over 45 years of experience and have deployed over 250k expansion joints which does not include maintenance and repairs services conducted by our highly qualified field service team.

Custom expansion joint design and manufacturing is a complex process and we execute it effectively by focusing on the approval drawings from the customer side, training on customer support with all functional teams (production, engineering, shipping, and sales), and inter-team communication. We developed and deployed digital work instructions for all key production steps and added detailing and reviewing checklists of all of the expansion joint drawings before releasing them to fabrication. These improvements have reduced considerably the number of revisions and reworks. Some insight into jobs we have conducted successfully include:

  • Refurbished 6 48″-64″ Refractory-lined Expansion Joints for a Large Houston Refinery during a 45-day turnaround
  • Completed a large ducting project for a Major Chemical facility in Texas with on-time delivery
  • In the last 6 months, 40% of our expansion joint jobs have shipped in 2 weeks

Usbellows universal expansion joint drawing 159489

 

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 11122018

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Rubber Expansion Joints for an 8” Dia. Pipeline at a Saudi Arabian Oil Company

May 11, 2022

Ptp rubber expansion joint 171379

U.S. Bellows, Inc. provided rubber expansion joints for an 8″ pipeline. This single open arch rubber expansion joint is fabricated from EPDM rubber and the retaining rings are galvanized A36 carbon steel and powder coated orange. The expansion joints were designed for an operating pressure of 250 psig with a 30″ vacuum, 1.75″ compression, 0.88″ extension, and 1″ lateral offset. Rubber pipe expansion joints are often used to compensate for minor misalignment and offset. Each unit was hydro-tested at 250°F at 75 psig. An advantage of a rubber expansion joint (also called an elastomer joint) over the metallic is the ability to prevent the transmission of vibration and to do this without significant harm to the joint. They can be utilized for pump inlets and discharges solely to stop vibration and noise from the pump. They have an integrally flanged design where no gaskets are required. Metal reinforcing rings can also be added to help resist pressure and flexing during operation. Fabric reinforcement within the rubber can also be added for applications to take the load of fluid pressure. At U.S. Bellows, our engineers are professionally trained and qualified to both design and manufacture units specifically for your application per expansion joint manufacturing association (EJMA).

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96″ Dia. Thick Wall Expansion Joint Designed for a Sulfuric Acid Plant

April 12, 2022

Us bellows thick wall expansion joint 169673

U.S. Bellows designed this thick wall flanged and flued head expansion joint at a sulfuric acid plant in Louisiana.  Sulfuric acid plants are located throughout the industrialized world and we have worked with most of them including market leaders. Most are located near their product acid’s point of use, i.e., near fertilizer plants, copper ore leach plants, and petroleum refineries. This is because elemental sulfur is cheaper to transport than sulfuric acid. By far the largest amount of sulfuric acid is used to make phosphoric acid, used, in turn, to make the phosphate fertilizers, calcium dihydrogenphosphate, and ammonium phosphates. It is also used to make ammonium sulfate, which is a particularly important fertilizer in sulfur-deficient. In various concentrations, the acid is used in the manufacture of fertilizers, pigments, dyes, drugs, explosives, detergents, and inorganic salts and acids, as well as in petroleum refining and metallurgical processes.

The expansion joint was fabricated from A516-70 carbon steel and painted with a special epoxy coat for protection from corrosion. The unit is 96″ x 124-1/4″ O.D. All of the butt welds for this expansion joint were 100% liquid penetrant, 100% radiographic, and soap and air bubble tested prior to shipment. This type of joint can be used as a “clamshell” joint used in conjunction with shell and tube heat exchangers, steam exhaust, hot water return lines, or chilled water lines.

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