The replacement and upgrade of the existing metallic expansion joint with another metal expansion joint would have required a full NDT, splicing in new section of bellow and extremely delicate welding. Alternatively, a fabric expansion joint retrofit boasted multiple advantages, including:
- Individual adjustment and modular build-up of every bellow layer.
- Outstanding vibration dampening features.
- Low shipping and mounting expenditure and low net weight.
- No power transmission to duct connecting elements due to negligible low adjusting forces.
- Outstanding insulation possibilities through targeted thermodynamic design under consideration of heat transfer mechanisms.
Operating Temperature: |
600°C |
Movement: |
Axial: +/-60mm
Lateral: 3mm |
This project was installed within 12 days and involved the following steps:
- Removal of cladding, lagging, weather shield and existing metallic bellow.
- Modification of adjacent duct insulation support pins and welding of new frames externally on the diffuser.
- Installation of pinned internal insulation bolsters and gas-tight closing of fabric expansion joint. Finally, torque fixings and installation of adjacent external insulation.