CUSTOMISED
STANDARD CATALOGUE
EXPANSION JOINTS

Belman has customised and manufactured a total of six large-dimension Expansion Joints for a copper recycling plant in Germany. More precisely, Belman has custom-designed standard solution Gimbal and Axial Expansion Joints from the Belman catalogue for this client with ID nos. 66.090.30 and 43.082.10 respectively.

CLIENT ISSUE
The client reached out to Belman after having selected Belman’s standard Expansion Joints from the manufacturers’ list in Rohr2. By using the catalogue as well as Rohr2 the client was able to specify the Expansion Joints needed for their copper recycling plant project. In their enquiry, the client specified two types of Expansion Joints: (1) Angular Expansion Joints with gimbals and welding ends (page 289 in the Belman Catalogue) and (2) Axial Expansion Joints with welding ends (page 124 in the Belman Catalogue). To meet the pipeline operating data the client needed some further optimisations made to the catalogue Expansion Joints for them to fit perfectly into the application. These optimisations included using a special material for the flanges and another build-in length. Additionally, the client wanted inner sleeves mounted in the Expansion Joints due to the challenging operating conditions, which meant that there was a risk that the media condensate would not drain off completely at the installation point. The inner sleeves would prevent the remaining condensate from settling in the bellows and ensure they worked as intended.

BELMAN SOLUTION – Customised Standard Catalogue Expansion Joints
Belman custom-designed the Expansion Joints to meet the client’s requests. The solution therefore had an adjusted build-in length to fit the gap in the pipeline and so it could absorb the specified movements in the piping system. In this case, the material was not modified for the bellows, as one of the standard bellow materials specified in the catalogue, 1.4541 (AISI 321), was suitable for this project. However, the material for the pipe ends was modified due to the medium as per client request. Incorporating another material for the Expansion Joint is no problem at all for Belman, as we are familiar with working in various materials. The inner sleeve, which was added at the request of the client to prevent any remaining condensate from settling in the bellows, was made from the same material as the bellows. Inner sleeves are catalogue accessories that can be applied to the Expansion Joint. The Expansion Joints are designed for absorbing multiplane movements (axial, lateral and angular) in combination. The gimbals add stability and reduce the loads on the fix points in the pipeline.

Belman Catalogue Expansion Joints – also in Rohr2 and other pipe design software
The Belman catalogue is a helpful, informative and inspirational Engineering Tool for specifying and selecting the correct Metallic Expansion Joint(s) needed for the project/application. The Catalogue consists of comprehensive technical information on Expansion Joints including their functions, materials and hardware options as well as installation examples. It also features a wide range of +3500 Expansion Joints, each of which can be selected and adjusted to ensure the optimum performance and service life of the pipe system.
Belman Standard Catalogue Expansion Joints can be found in the library as well as the manufacturers’ list under Expansion Joints in various piping design software including Rohr2. This simple selection option eases the workload for everyone involved in Expansion Joints. By sending their work from Rohr2 to Belman, we can design and produce Expansion Joints accordingly and even – as was the case here – easily optimise them to the application as needed.

What Belman does: Customised Expansion Joints, not stock items
Belman does not stock a large number of standard Expansion Joints; instead, we custom design Expansion Joints to meet the needs of our clients and their applications. These optimum design solutions can be made in very short delivery times. This means that clients and even engineering companies (EPC) can use the Belman Expansion Joint Catalogue for inspiration and selection of Expansion Joints for their pipe designs and projects. For the Expansion Joint to fit the pipe design and vice versa, Belman will then make the final adjustment of the catalogue Expansion Joints for them to fit the pipeline. Belman also often adapts the material of the Expansion Joints so they can resist the media and withstand the challenging environment in the specific project. This is a huge advantage for the client. In this way they have an almost ready concept, and we can adapt the design in a very short time frame. This represents an efficient, quick method for finding the perfect Expansion Joint solution.