1. U.S. Bellows, Inc.
Worldwide Leader in Metallic and Fabric Expansion Joints
▫ Fast Turnaround ▫ Repair ▫ Replace ▫ Refurbish ▫ Quick Delivery ▫
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3. www.usbellows.com
Introduction to U.S. Bellows
• Pioneer in expansion joints, in business since the
1960’s
• Joined the PT&P Family in 1995
– 5x the resources: PT&P, SWECO, Pipe Shields and Fronek Anchor Darling
– Better location next to the Houston Ship Channel (one of the largest ports
in the U.S. and in the world)
– U.S. Bellows got a further shot in the arm with the acquisition of RM
Engineered Products
• Acquired all of Lortz’s assets in December 2011
Manufacturing Facility
• More than 450,000 sq/ft of
covered shop space
• 35 acre property
• Continuing to expand
4. www.usbellows.com
U.S. Bellows Team
• Combined experience of 800+ years
– 35 Manufacturing (500+ years)
– 8 Engineering (200+ years)
– 3 Field Service (75+ years)
• 2 Shifts – Day and Night John Demusz
Manager of U.S. Bellows
Manuel Perez
Production Manager
Dennis Satorre
Scheduler/Planner
Scott Runge
Bellows Engineer
Aydin Eyup
Bellows Engineer
Blake Grundy
Bellows Engineer
Linda Cai
CAD Drafter
Guadalupe Stewart
CAD Drafter
Jie Shi
Bellows Engineer
Scott Stelmar
General Manager of U.S. Bellows
Jerry Godina
Quality Control Manager
Hasan Alsabea
Bellows Engineer
Mustakin Khan
Bellows Engineer
Ricardo Galindo
CAD Drafter
5. www.usbellows.com
Certification / Membership
• ASME U-Stamp, R-Stamp and NS Certified
• Minority Business Enterprise
• Houston Minority Business Council
• ISO 9001:2008
• EJMA Member (10 years now!)
– With representation on both management and technical committees
• ASME Section IX
• AWS D1.1
• MIL-STD-248
Manufacturing Qualifications QA / QC Approval
• UOP
• GE / Stewart and
Stevenson
6. www.usbellows.com
Manufacturing Capabilities
Bellows Materials
Based on operating temperature + media + pressure requirements
+ desired life cycle
– 300 Series Stainless Steel (any type of general service:
H=high temperature, L=low carbon content)
• 304, 304L, 304H, 316, 316L, 316H and 321
– High Nickel Materials
• Monel 400 (sea water, high corrosive) and Inconel 600
(seawater/marine)
• Inconel 625 LCF (low cycle fatigue): oil refineries & chemical plants
in high temperature service due to high strength at high
temperatures
– Hastelloy C-276 (highly corrosive service – destruction of toxic
gasses, sulphuric acid plants)
– Incoloy 800 / 800H and 825 (high temperature applications)
9. www.usbellows.com
EFFECTIVE AREA
• IT IS APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE AREA OF A CIRCLE LYING
HALFWAY BETWEEN THE CONVOLUTION’S INSIDE AND OUTSIDE
DIAMETERS.
• USED TO CALCULATE END THRUST LOAD WHICH WILL BE
PRODUCED.
Bellows Basic
18. www.usbellows.com
Hinged Expansion Joint
Two 43" hinged expansion joints with 5"
thick refractory lining, manufactured to be
part of FCC stand-pipes in a synfuels plant
Types of Expansion Joints
19. www.usbellows.com
Pressure Balanced Elbow Expansion Joints
Pressure Balanced Elbow Expansion
Joints Designed for 50 PSIG and
450°F for a 42" Steam Line
Pressure Balanced Elbow Expansion
Joints Designed with Inconel® 625
Grade LCF Bellows for a 36" Line
* pressure balanced design does not exert pressure thrust
on the equipment in the piping system
60" Pressure Balanced Elbow
Expansion Joints Designed with 304
Stainless Steel Bellows
26. www.usbellows.com
In-line Pressure Balanced Expansion
Joint
24" In-line Pressure Balanced Expansion Joints designed for 175 PSIG and
610°F for a petrochemical plant in Venezuela
Types of Expansion Joints
27. www.usbellows.com
Refractory-lined Expansion Joint
Clean Fuels Project
• Inconel 625 LCF bellows
• ASTM A-516 GR 70
Carbon Steel shell
• Insulating and abrasion
resistant refractory
• Pressure tested with
air at 15 PSIG
63" In-line Pressure Balanced Expansion Joint
Drawing on Next Slide
31. www.usbellows.com
Universal Gimbal & Single Hinged Flanged
and Flued Head Expansion Joints
• 72" Diameter Universal Gimbal
Flanged and Flued Head Expansion
Joint with a 90° Elbow
• 72" Diameter Single Hinged Flanged
and Flued Head Expansion Joint
• 304 H SS & 304 SS
• 5° of Movement
• Design Temp: 1000°F
• Design Pressure: 8 PSIG
33. www.usbellows.com
Rectangular Metallic Expansion Joints
Rectangular Metallic Expansion Joint
240" x 80" and 157" x 65"
71" x 143" Round Corner Regular Expansion
Joint for an oil refinery in India
Rounded Corner
Single Miter Corner
Camera Corner
34. www.usbellows.com
Rectangular Metallic Expansion Joints
“U” Profile
“V” Profile
General arrangement of rectangular
expansion joints with supported sides
84” Long Rectangular Metallic Expansion Joint
36. www.usbellows.com
Fabric Expansion Joints
• Materials:
– Single layer PTFE: temperatures
up to 600°F
– 3-layer Belt and Insulation Pillow:
temperatures up to 2,000°F
• Inside Layer: 100% fiberglass, coated with an
aluminum compound on both sides
• Middle Layer: ½” thick Kao wool
• Outside Layer: PTFE fiberglass reinforced
• Capacity: 40’ Length and 20’ Wide
Duct Expansion Joint – Low Temperature Duct Expansion Joint – High Temperature
(up to 1200°F)
10’ square fabric expansion joint w/ high temp.
and corrosion resistant composite belt
37. www.usbellows.com
Fabric Expansion Joints
Customized Design:
– Liner and flange used to be 2 pieces
– We combined the liner and flange into
one piece
– As result, there is less welding for us
and a smoother flow in the duct work
for them
21' x 14' I.D. Fabric Expansion Joint
(Power plant in Puerto Rico)
128” x 229” Rectangular Fabric Expansion Joints
38. www.usbellows.com
Fabric Expansion Joint & Duct Work Assembly
78" Fabric Expansion Joint
and Duct Work Assembly
with a 90° Elbow
• Designed for 5 PSIG @ 750°F
• 2.5" Lateral Deflection (cold preset)
• 2" Axial Compression
39. www.usbellows.com
Technical Information
Featured Projects
Pictures and Project Details
Webinar Registration
Details on Upcoming Webinars
Quick Access to Site
Online Quote System
Emergency Service
Online Catalogs
Downloadable Software
E-NEWS
Webinars (Twice a Month!)
Technical Bulletins / Articles
40. www.usbellows.com
• U.S. Bellows is a diverse manufacturer of a wide variety of
high-quality, competitively priced expansion joints.
• U.S. Bellows has focused experience in supplying expansion
joints around the world.
• U.S. Bellows is here for all your engineering needs…
Conclusion
Please forward any additional questions or inquiries to us at
sales@usbellows.com, call us at 877-660-1795 or visit our website at
www.usbellows.com
Attention Attendees: to listen to the audio portion, check that your speakers or headset are on
and turned up OR dial the number and use the access code listed in your confirmation email.
Attention P.E.’s: this Webinar is worth 1 PDH credit for TX P.E.’s
Certificates are automatically emailed to you within 1-2 days after the Webinar
If you don’t see it in your inbox, check your spam box
Need further assistance, email us at news@usbellows.com
Hinweis der Redaktion
Welcoming everyone to the Webinar
Introduction of the presenter
Attention PE’s: this Webinar is worth 1 PDH credit for TX PE’s
We have achieved various certifications in the past 30 years:
PT&P is a member of MSS, SPED, and APFA. We are also a Minority Business Enterprise, as well as, a member of the Houston Minority Business Council.
Our U.S. Bellows division is a member of the Expansion Joint Manufacturers’ Association
We have our ASME U-Stamp, R-Stamp for our Sweco Fab division
Pipe Shields is ISO 9001-2000 certified for the manufacturing our of hot and cold supports
And we have our ASME Nuclear Certification at our Fronek Anchor Darling division located in Laconia, NH
Our Manufacturing Facility
The photo on the right, shows an aerial view of our headquarters here in Houston, Texas
Our facility is located on a thirty-five (35) acre property including additional room for future expansion
Our facility is a 450,000 Sq. Ft. covered manufacturing production shop
We are just a few miles away from the Port of Houston, which allows us to quickly and conveniently ship to countries throughout the world.
R-Stamp: we can repair vessels and heat exchangers
ISO 9001:2008 in cold shoe department but currently expanding that company wide
The information on this slide provides some more comprehensive guide-lines as to where the installation of Anchors, Supports and / Guides should be placed,
in relationship to the installation location of an Expansion Joint.
End Thrust Loads are a very important calculation component, which must be addressed when designing a pipe system that includes an Expansion Joint.
This will always factor into determining Anchor, Guide and Support Loads.
This slide provides fundamental “spacing” practices, as outlined by the Expansion Joint Manufacturers Association, and is to be utilized accordingly,
in order to assure proper placements of Anchors, Supports or Guides in relationship to the installation location of any Expansion Joint.
This is one of our “product data sheets” which we utilize with our clients, in order to obtain a more comprehensive
understanding of the specific design requirements of a given Expansion Joint, prior to beginning our engineering exercises.
This takes the “guess-work” out of what the facts are in the design requirements.
Please note some of the points of interest.
We’re going to go into some basic expansion joint application
This particular expansion joint is installed in a line where we have a directional main anchor and a main anchor (shown above). The main anchor doesn’t allow that elbow to move in any direction. It is fixed in the horizontal and vertical directions. As we move along the pipe line towards the expansion joint you can see the guides positioned at various intervals. As we get closer to the expansion joint, you can see the guides labeled G1 and G2. Under ideal design conditions, we like to place that first guide, G1, approximately 4 pipe diameters away from the expansion joint, If that was a 12 inch joint, we should be four feet away, while G2, the next guide, should be at a distance of 14 pipe diameters away from the first guide. In the case of a 12 inch joint, it should be 14 feet away. The other guides should be placed at a distance found on any table for guide spacing on a 12 inch line depending on the pressure.
Back to the expansion joint, to the left we have a DMA or Directional Main Anchor. What happens here is that when we install the expansion joint on the line, it generates thrust. This is defined as the area of the bellows times the pressure in the line. In a 12 inch line, with 150lbs and you multiply it by the area of the bellows. Let’s pick a number of 15,000 lbs of thrust that the directional main anchor would have to withstand. Not only that, but the main anchor would have to withstand a thrust of approximately 1500 lbs.
At the anchor “1A” on the line, it doesn’t have to withstand the full pressure thrust of the expansion joints because the Directional main anchor and main anchor are taking those forces. The load on IA is equal to the force necessary to compress the expansion joint in the lateral direction. Using the directional main anchor, that pipe needs to be free to slide in the vertical direction so the expansion joint can deflect.
Pictured above are externally pressurized joints designed in various sizes for NASA.
These expansion joints are fabricated from 304 stainless steel bellows and 300 lb. carbon steel flanges.
They incorporate internal guide rings that serve as limit stops in the case of anchor failure.
externally pressurized joint can absorb large amounts of axial motion.
You can see that as the flowing media comes through the joint and goes around to the outside of the expansion joint so that the pressure is on the outside and not the inside. This allows you to have large number of convulsions without having a squirm problem and absorb a lot of axial motion. The ring there also acts as a guide ring so when using this in a steam line you don’t have to use the guide at 4 Pipe diameters away.
The next two slides provide some detail from the Expansion Joint Manufacturers Catalog, as it relates to the formulas utilized in properly designing “flow-liners”
for Expansion Joints.
Please note that the differences in the calculations, as it pertains to either Air, Steam and Gases, compared to Water and other Liquids.
Please note that the flow-velocity should always be addressed when considering the design of an Expansion Joint.
The next type of expansion joint we’re looking at is the universal expansion joint
This type of expansion joint can solve a lot of problems.
What we have shown here is an expansion joint that’s placed in a piping system that has a “Z” shape.
What we have is a system where its fixed at 2 points with two intermediate anchors. What we are doing here is taking the thermal growth from the intermediate anchor to the elbows in the pipe. The expansion joints are being used take a lateral deflection.
As you can see, we have not only the intermediate anchor but also have the pipe guides in the horizontal sections to help keep the pipe in line and allow movement towards the expansion joint so that it can deflect laterally. In this particular instance the guides have to be planer guides to allow horizontal direction and some movement in the vertical direction. In this particular application, the joint is tied at the elbow. Depending on the size of the line where the tie rods end to the center of the pipe there is a small amount of thermal growth that has to be absorbed by piping flexibility.
For smaller than 24” its not much of a problem, because if you have a fairly long length of pipe here, you can take a ¼” to 3/8” of deflection and not have to tie the expansion joint from the center line of the elbow to the center line of the elbow. That would be the only way that you can avoid having to use some piping flexibility of the horizontal line.
(From Left to Right)
Sixty-six inch (66") Stainless Steel Tied Universal Expansion Joint
Twelve inch (12") Tied Universal Expansion Joint with Stainless Steel Flanges
Thirty-two inch (32") Universal Expansion Joint and three inch (3") Single Expansion Joints
On this slide, we see an application of a hinged expansion joint.
In these particular hinged expansion joints, they have refractory lining and were used in an FCC unit in a plant in South Africa.
Hinged expansion joints are very useful, and similar to universal expansion joints. They have to be used in pairs as a minimum. The hinged joint only moves in angular rotation and is also very good tool to be used in lines where you have a lot of weight to support the vertical piping. Where the top of the line can be supported with springs and the whole load of the vertical section of the pipe can be transmitted to the hinge pins on the joints.
This is a Z-section of the pipe and easy to use and demonstrate. You can also have this type of application from the top of a tower or from 1 vessel to another vessel. The hinges themselves are designed to hold the pressure thrust and the pin, and only rotate in an angular motion. It cannot take any axial motion and cannot be slotted to take any axial motion because they have to be designed to take the full pressure thrust. The bottom joint can be designed to take some of the weight if necessary.
There is some thermal movement vertically at the top and bottom that will have to absorbed by some piping flexibility.
The main function of these two joints is to take the lateral motion in a horizontal direction.
If it cannot withstand the forces and movements generated by the piping deflection, a third expansion joint can be used at the top, to the right of the PG and thrust if needed.
Hinged expansion joints are very useful tools, especially in larger diameter piping runs where weight has to be supported. You can transmit loads through the pins. You can use the hinge attachments as attachment points for your spring hangers and also absorb wind loads. The hinges can also be used to with strain some high wind loads.
Popular around steam turbines or gas turbines
Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L)
Job #93183
96” diameter pressure balance T
(we built 2 of theses plus pipe stress analysis going from the discharge from the boiler pump feed exhaust to the __________)
Drawing for job #93183
In place of an elbow, we have a rectangular duct work coming down into a round duct
We performed a stress analysis from the flange on the turbine exhaust to the _________________
job #109219
60" Pressure Balanced Expansion Joint with Turning Vanes
Redesigned with turning vanes to that redirect the flow steam, creating a smother flow, eliminating vibration impact on the bellows
CFD Analysis to determine the design of the turning vanes
321 SS bellows and liner and air and soap tested
You can see how the flow smoothed out and dissipated after installing the turning vanes
It worked so well, we just recently received an order of 2 more
Drawing for job #109219
In-Line Pressure Balanced Expansion Joints
Consists of three bellows – two In-line bellows on each side and one balancing bellows in the center
They are typically used when axial & lateral deflections exist and anchoring is impractical for structural or economical reasons
In-line Pressure Balanced Expansion Joint are a solution to difficult design problems
These are used to take away the pressure thrust so that all you have on the equipment is the forces necessary to deflect the expansion joint bellows.
Engineers India Limited (EIL)
Job #98679
Universal In-Line Pressure Balanced Unit
Features that can not only be incorporated in refractory-lined expansion joints, but really any critical unit
Pressure gauge monitors the pressure b/w the plies of the expansion joint
--no pressure on that gauge, then the EJ is functioning properly
Critical services like the FCC units
These joints can be air tested or pressure tested while in service
Visually look at the gauge
Check the pressure
Alberici Job #110901
92” Double Hinged Reinforced Expansion Joint (78” long) for a water treatment plant in Canada
321 SS Bellows, root rings, collars
Carbon steel weld ends and hinge hardware
Design Pressure and Temp: 100 PSIG at 300°F, 4°Angular Movement for each bellows
Hydro test @ 150 PSIG, 100% dye penetrant tested, x-ray examined bellows long seems and longitudinal pipe welds
Hinges and attachment rights to the pipe were also tested
Rhodia (Martinez, CA) job# 100573 (Sulphuric Acid Plant)
72” Diameter Universal Gimbal Flanged and Flued Head Expansion Joint with a 90 degree elbow (180” long)
72” Diameter Single Hinged Flanged and Flued Head Expansion Joint (114” long)
All material in contact with the service fluid is fabricated from 304 H stainless steel and all external hardware is 304 stainless steel.
The expansion joint is designed for 5° of movement and 1000°F at 8 PSIG.
A spot x-ray test, soap and air test, and 100% dye penetrant exam were performed prior to shipment.
Thick-wall Joints –have been in service for 2 years without any problems
This design replaced some thin-wall expansion joints which were known for issues
Rhodia (Baton Rouge, LA) Job# 110493 (Acid Plant)
90" diameter universal flanged and flued head expansion joint and duct assembly
Includes slotted hinge plates installed across the bellows to carry the weight of the expansion joint and equalize the axial compression between the two bellows.
The flanged and flued heads, duct and weld ends are fabricated from 304 H stainless steel.
The expansion joint is designed for 2" axial compression, 2-1/2" lateral deflection, and 1150°F at 5 PSIG.
A spot x-ray test, soap and air test, and 100% dye penetrant exam were performed prior to shipment.
Rhodia Baton Rouge Job#109055
78" Fabric Expansion Joint and Duct Work Assembly with a 90° Elbow for a Sulphuric Acid Plant in Louisiana
30’ long carbon steel ducts and 78” diameter fabric expansion joint fabricated from PTFE material
Also supplied a cradle support and big ton
Performed stress analysis
Designed for 5 PSIG @ 750°F
2.0" axial compression
2.5" lateral deflection (cold preset)
