Since each manufacturing process is different and the expected outcomes are variable, it is important to ensure that your business opts for something beyond a standard expansion joint design and instead choose the one that is best fit!
Such a manufacturer must also offer adequate outcomes in delivering right expansion joints designs and styles to handle large movements. Further, they must have the right tools, materials and experts to ensure that the final design fits perfectly to your requirements.
Why opt for the best expansion joint design?
With the best expansion joint materials, it is easy for your manufacturing processes to handle dimensional changes and thermal expansion. These joints are devices with bellows designed to manage high-pressure thermal expansion and contractions in pipelines, ducts, etc. The best Metal Expansion Joints are used widely to control and manage the impacts arising from extreme temperature changes and other operating environmental issues.
These are also adopted in cases where there is a need to manage and maintain the movement of pipelines resulting due to the above-mentioned issues. Through the top expansion joint designs, common issues associated with thermal expansion can be managed. Although one can adopt natural flexing or install pipe loops yet the same can quickly prove to be an expensive investment.Unless you have the top quality expansion joint designs, it becomes tough to ensure that the modern structures are capable of managing such variable loads.
Types of expansion joints
Although there is a huge variety of expansion joint materials available, these are broadly classified into two forms –
Restrained styles
- Unrestrained versions
- Unrestrained joints
With the unrestrained joints, it is easy to accommodate pipe movements and compressions. Since the same is often done using the axis, these are termed as axial expansion joints.These joints can be extremely flexible and compact in their designs. Also these are adaptable and inexpensive versions designed to accommodate movements of 25-75 mm.
Such joints can also be customised to suit and manage specific conditions and operating temperatures. Also, these can be suitably anchored and managed to reduce damage resulting from forces imposed on the entire pipe system. Such an installation is termed as a non-pressure balanced solution.
- Restrained expansion joints
With restrained expansion joints, you get a joint with tie bars, hinges, etc. This prevents the same from moving axially. These also include –
- Lateral joints
- Fully articulated versions
- Hinged designs
- Gimbals, etc.
The motivation for selecting these joints is that these have anchor forces that are lower than installation of unrestrained bellows. This ensures that savings can be made when handling suitable anchors and guides. With the best restrained joints designed for use in complex arrangements, the attempt is made to keep the forces at a minimum.
This also helps to ensure that the same is able to manage larger movements with ease. These can be more expensive than traditional versions but ultimately results in cost savings on installations, reduced anchors and guide costs. Such installations can also result in pressure balanced solutions.
Choosing between rubber and metallic versions
Selecting the best metal expansion joints is important as these help to manage thermal expansion and vibrations with ease. These are further manufactured using stainless steel or similar products to ensure that these stay safe in demanding and complex conditions.
The versions produced from rubbers can be designed using EPDM, Hypalon, Viton, etc. These work well with pumps, chillers, etc. to reduce noise and vibrations. Although these joints carry the capacity of managing axial, lateral and angular movements, experts suggest opting for custom expansion joints to handle pipe movements and resolving thermal issues with ease.
Expansion joints vs movement joints
The topexpansion joints are designed to absorb dimensional movements, changes and other critical aspects of the manufacturing process. These are also beneficial to manage temperature differences, vibrations and installation misalignments with ease and efficiency. Movement joints on the other hand are designed to manage changes in movements instead of delivering extended capabilities like expansion joints.
