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Metal Bellows Designs: Movement Stresses

As high operating temperatures subject your application's ductwork and components to thermal expansions, these elements begin to move from their initial positions and become misaligned. A well designed custom FlexCom metal expansion joint offers an exceptional degree of movement compensation, maintaining effective connections under high levels of operational load and stress.

FlexCom expansion joints are designed to compensate for four common types of heat-created movements:

● Angular. An angular movement occurs when one duct flange moves from an initial straight line position and displaces the joint's longitudinal axis / centerline, creating an angled alignment between the two adjacent duct flanges.

● Axial. Axial movements are compression and extension movements, in which the adjacent duct flanges move closer or farther away from each other along the same longitudinal axis.

● Lateral. In a lateral movement, the two adjacent duct flanges move closer or farther away from each other, perpendicular to the joint's longitudinal axis.

● Rotational. Rotational movements involve either clockwise or counterclockwise rotational movements of the adjacent duct flanges along the joint's longitudinal axis, creating stress between ducts as one flange rotates away from the other.

Movement stress is a natural byproduct of thermal expansion, and so is invariably a major factor in the engineering and long term reliability of any large scale, high temperature industrial application. Left inadequately compensated, movement stress will damage ductwork and connected components such as fans and pumps, as well as reduce the overall efficiency of the system and raise regular operating and maintenance costs.

FlexCom metal bellows are custom designed to provide superior movement compensation, while providing excellent vibration isolation, heat and pressure load tolerance, and long term reliability.

Learn more about FlexCom's metal bellows designs.

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