Bellows compensator

Update: November 23, 2021

Corrugated compensators are also called expansion joints and expansion joints, mainly to ensure the safe operation of pipelines. The English name is expansion joints, Bellow Expansion Joint, which is a flexible, thin-walled, transversely corrugated device with expansion function, which is composed of metal bellows and components. The working principle of the bellows compensator is mainly to use its own elastic expansion and contraction function to compensate the axial, angular, lateral and combined displacements of the pipeline due to thermal deformation, mechanical deformation and various mechanical vibrations. The compensation function is resistant to The functions of pressure, sealing, corrosion resistance, temperature resistance, impact resistance, vibration reduction and noise reduction can reduce pipeline deformation and increase pipeline service life.

contents

  • 1. What is a bellows compensator
  • 2. Classification of bellows compensator

  • 3. The role of bellows compensator

1. What is a bellows compensator

Bellows expansion joint (compensator) is an expansion joint made of metal bellows. It can expand and contract along the axis, but also allows a small amount of bending. Axial bellows expansion joints are used on pipelines for axial length compensation. In order to prevent exceeding the allowable compensation amount, protective pull rods or protective rings are provided at both ends of the corrugated pipe, and guide brackets are provided on the pipes at both ends connected to it. In addition, there are corner and lateral expansion joints, which can be used to compensate for the corner and lateral deformation of the pipeline. The advantage of this type of expansion joint is that it saves space, saves material, and is convenient for standardization and mass production. The disadvantage is that it has a short lifespan. Bellows expansion joints are generally used for short-length pipelines with low temperature and pressure. With the improvement of the level of bellows production technology, the application range of this type of expansion joint is expanding.

2. Classification of bellows compensator

1. Axial compensator: internal pressure corrugated compensator, external pressure corrugated compensator, compound corrugated compensator, single corrugated compensator, unconstrained corrugated compensator, direct-buried corrugated compensator

2. Angular corrugated compensator: single hinge corrugated compensator, universal hinge corrugated compensator, double hinge corrugated compensator

3. Transverse corrugated compensator: large pull rod transverse corrugated compensator, small pull rod transverse corrugated pipe compensator

4. Rectangular corrugated compensator

5. Pressure balance corrugated compensator: straight pipe pressure balance corrugated compensator, curved pipe pressure balance corrugated compensator, internal and external pressure balance corrugated compensator, bypass pressure balance corrugated compensator

3. The role of bellows compensator

The main elastic element of the corrugated compensator is a stainless steel corrugated pipe, which relies on the expansion and bending of the corrugated pipe to compensate the pipe in the axial, lateral and angular directions. Its role can be:

1. Compensate the axial, lateral and angular thermal deformation of the absorption pipeline.

2. Absorb equipment vibration and reduce the impact of equipment vibration on the pipeline.

3. Absorb the deformation of the pipeline caused by earthquake and ground subsidence.