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TypesofDeflection

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CYCLICDEFLECTIONSANDCYCLELIFE

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JointCatalog[PDF]
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Catalog[PDF]
ExpansionJointDeflection
AxialDeflection
LateralDeflection
AngularDeflection
CombinedDeflections
TorsionalDeflection
CyclicDeflections
PressureBalancingExamples
HingedorGimbalExamples

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Mostdeflectionsarerepeatedanumberoftimesduringthelifeofthepipingsystem,sincethedeflections
usuallyareproducedbychangesintemperaturewhichoccureachtimethesystemisstartedand
stopped,andfrompredictablevariationsinthewaythesystemisused.Repetitionscanalsooccurasa
resultofrepetitivemechanicalmovementsandfromvibrations.Eachtimeadeflectionoccursitisa
CYCLE.Thenumberofcyclesisimportanttoassuretheproperdesignofthepipeexpansionjoint,since
eachdesignhasafinite,butpredictablelife.
Vibrationswhichcauserepetitivedeflectionscancauseaprematurefailureofapipeexpansionjoint.Even
thoughthesedeflectionsmaybesmallinmagnitude,theyusuallyaccumulatehugenumbersofcyclesin
ashortperiodoftime.Sincethebellowsaremetallicstructures,theyhavespecificandpredictable
resonantfrequencies,likethepitchofatuningfork.Whendrivenbyoutsidevibrationsofthesame
frequencies(orharmonicsofthem),theycanmagnifytheincomingdeflectionsuntiltheyexceedtheyield
strengthofthebellowsmaterialandinduceearlyfatiguefailure.Whenapipingsystemisknowntohave
equipmentwhichcanproducevibrations,suchaspumps,fans,andothermotororturbinedrivendevices,
theirrotationalspeedsorfrequenciesshouldbestatedsothatPT&P'sdesignerscanassurethatthe
properpipeexpansionjointdoesnothavearesonantorharmonicfrequencythatisclosetothose.
CYCLELIFEANDRATEDMOVEMENTSINGLEEXPANSIONJOINTS
PT&P'ssinglepipeexpansionjointsaredesignedfor3000cyclesforanyonetabulatedmovement
shown.Cyclelifemaybeincreased,ormovementmaybeincreased(decreasingthecyclelife)by
utilizingthegraphlocatedonthispage.Thegraphmayalsobeusedforsuperimposingmorethanone
movementconditiononthebellowsatonetime.Itisimportanttorememberthatthemovementsshown
inthebellowsdatapagesdonotallowforanyinstallationmisalignment.Aproperspecificationfora
bellowspipeexpansionjointshouldreflectwhattheactualsystemmovementswillbe.Toinsurethe
highestqualitybellowsfortheleastcost,allmovementconditionsmustbetakenintoaccount.
Examplesofmovementconditionsthattypicallyoccurinapipingsystemare:
InstallationAllowonecycleinstallationmisalignment.

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StartUp/ShutDownMovementsproducedbetweentheminimumambienttemperatureandthe
maximumstartuptemperature.Thisisnormallyaverylownumberofcycles.
OperatingMovementsproducedduetotemperaturefluctuationsduringsystemoperation.Thisis
typicallyaverysmallmovementforaverylargenumberofcycles.

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ExcursionMovementresultingfromaworstcase/upsetscenario,occurringduringsystem
operation.Thisisnormallyaverylownumberofcycles.

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HowToUseGraph
Enterthegraphhorizontallyatthenumberofanticipatedcyclesorthemovementconditionbeing

considered.
Moveverticallyuntilthegraphisintercepted.
Movehorizontallyandreadconversionfactor.

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Example:Entergraphat1,000cyclesreadC.F.of1.

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Note:Maximumincreaseinmovementsforcombinedmovementconditionsshallnotexceed
110%ofcatalogratedmovements
Note:PleasereferencetheprintversionoftheU.S.Bellows,Inc.ExpansionJointCatalogfor
referencetablescontainingtechnicaldataonExpansionJoints.

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CYCLELIFEANDRATEDMOVEMENTUNIVERSALPIPEEXPANSIONJOINTS

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PT&P'suniversalpipeexpansionjointsaredesignedfor3000cyclesforanyonetabulatedmovement
shown.Cyclelifemaybeincreased,ormovementmaybeincreased(decreasingthecyclelife)byutilizing
thegraphshownonthispage.Thegraphmayalsobeusedforsuperimposingmorethanonemovement
conditiononthebellowsatonetime.Itisimportanttorememberthatthemovementsshowninthe
bellowsdatapagesdonotallowforanyinstallationmisalignment.Aproperspecificationforabellowspipe
expansionjointshouldreflectwhattheactualsystemmovementswillbe.Toinsurethehighestquality
bellowsfortheleastcost,allmovementconditionsmustbetakenintoaccount.
Examplesofmovementconditionsthattypicallyoccurinapipingsystemare:
INSTALLATIONAllowonecycleinstallationmisalignment.
STARTUP/SHUTDOWNMovementsproducedbetweentheminimumambienttemperatureand
themaximumstartuptemperature.Thisisnormallyaverylownumberofcycles.
OPERATINGMovementsproducedduetotemperaturefluctuationsduringsystemoperation.This
istypicallyaverysmallmovementforaverylargenumberofcycles.
EXCURSIONMovementresultingfromaworstcase/upsetscenario,occurringduringsystem
operation.Thisisnormallyaverylownumberofcycles.

HowtoUseGraph
Enterthegraphhorizontallyatthenumberofanticipatedcyclesorthemovementconditionbeing
considered.
Moveverticallyuntilthegraphisintercepted.
Movehorizontallyandreadconversionfactor.

Example:Entergraphat1,000cyclesreadC.F.of0.80
Note:Maximumincreaseinmovementsforcombinedmovementconditionsshallnotexceed110%of
catalogratedmovement

Note:PleasereferencetheprintversionoftheU.S.Bellows,Inc.ExpansionJointCatalogforreference
tablescontainingtechnicaldataonExpansionJoints.
CycleLifeandRatedMovement:ExternallyPressurizedPipeExpansionJoint
Typicalmovementconditionsthatoccurinapipingsystemare:
Installation:allowonecycleforinstallationmisalignment
Startup/Shutdown:movementsproducedbetweentheminimumambienttemperatureandthe
maximumstartuptemperature.Thisisnormallyaverylownumberofcycles.
Operating:movementsproducedduetotemperaturefluctuationsduringsystemoperation.Thisis
typicallyaverysmallmovementforaverylargenumberofcycles.

Excursion:movementresultingfromaworstcase/upsetscenario,occurringduringsystem
operation.Thisisnormallyaverylownumberofcycles.
U.S.Bellowsexternallypressurizedpipeexpansionjointsaredesignedfor1000cyclesforanyone
tabulatedmovementshown.Movementmaybeincreased,decreasingthecyclelife,byusingthegraph
below.Thisgraphmayalsobeusedforsuperimposingmorethanonemovementconditiononthebellows
atonetime.

Usingthegraph:example:2500cyclesreadsC.F.of1.23
Enterthegraphhorizontallyatthenumberofanticipatedcyclesorthemovementconditionbeing
considered
MoveverticallyuntilthegraphIintercepted
Movehorizontallyandreadconversionfactor
Note:Maximumincreaseinmovementsforcombinedmovementconditionsshallnotexceed130%of
catalogratedmovements.
Note:PleasereferencetheprintversionoftheU.S.Bellows,Inc.ExpansionJointCatalogforreference
tablescontainingtechnicaldataonExternallyPressurizedExpansionJoints
HowToSelectandOrder
Thefirststepinselectingtheproperpipeexpansionjointassemblyistocollectand
organizeasmuchinformationregardingthedesignandoperatingparametersofthe
systemaspossible.Asaminimumthefollowinginformationshouldbeprovided:
Sizeoftheline
Designpressure
Designtemperature
Designmovementsandrequiredcycle
life
Overalllengthrequirement,ifany
Typeofendconnections

Bellowsmaterial
Pipematerial
Flangespecificationandmaterial
Typeofexpansionjoint
Accessories

EXAMPLE
1.Assumethefollowingpipeexpansionjointdesigncriteria:
a)Linesize:12inchnominaldiameter
b)Design/operatingpressure:125PSIG
c)Design/operatingtemperature:353F
d)Movements/cyclelife
Installation:0.25inchcompression0.25inchextension
Startup/shutdown:6.0inchescompression250cycles
Operating:1.0inchcompression2500cycle
e)Endconnections:150lbANSIraisedfacesliponflanges:ASTMA105(carbonsteel)
f)Bellowsmaterial:B168/lnconel600
g)Type:Single
h)Accessories:Drainandpurge

2.TurntotheConversionFactorGraph,andcalculateequivalentcatalogmovements.

Total=5.80
3.Refertopage93,12inchnominaldiametersingleexternallypressurizedpipeexpansionjoints,andgo
tothelowestpressureratingthatisequaltoorgreaterthanspecifieddesignpressure(125psig)whichwill
bethe150psigratedpipeexpansionjoints.Comparethetotalequivalentcatalogmovementstothose
showninthecatalog,keepinginmindthatthetabulatedmovementsshowninthecatalogarefor1,000
cyclesforonemovementonly.4.Selecttheappropriatepipeexpansionjointthatmeetsthemovement
criteria.Sincethetotalequivalentaxialmovementis5.80inches,theunitthatisratedforeightinchesis
thecorrectselection.5.Includethedesignationsforthetype(XSforXFlex/single),drainconnection(D),
andpurgeconnection(P).
6.TheresultingPT&Ppartnumberwouldthenbeasfollows:

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