Sudbury International’s metallic expansion joints compensate for thermal expansion, movement

Metallic expansion joints are available.

For close to half a century, Sudbury International Engineered Products Limited has been meeting customers’ needs with its long-term, cost-effective industrial solutions. Expansion joints take up a large chunk of this supplier’s lineup, including fabric, rubber, and dog-bone joints. Another product available is a selection of metallic expansion joints, also referred to as compensators. Sudbury International relies on collective expertise and experience to help customers find the right metallic expansion joints for their specific requirements.

For containers, pipelines, more

Invented more than 100 years ago in Germany by Emil Witzenmann, metallic expansion joints are compensating elements for thermal expansion and relative movement. Each unit from Sudbury International consists of at least one metal bellow, made with a multi-ply design, and of a connector at each end and some form of tie rods, as dictated by the application.

Containers, pipelines, and other kinds of machines often depend on this line of compensators. These solutions from Sudbury International are also useful in tasks that involve thermal movement or vibration in such sectors as water treatment, energy, chemicals, pulp and paper, and oil and gas.

Manufacturers usually classify metallic expansion joints according to their movement types. Axial compensators, the first category, are joints that absorb the thermal expansion of a straight-lined section between two fixed points. The distance between the points dictates the length of the pipeline that requires compensation and, as a result, the axial movement that the joint needs to achieve.

The second category of compensators is angular expansion joints. At least two of these expansion joints are necessary to achieve angular compensation of thermal expansion. Full compensation often requires three of them. These expansion-joint models provide many combination options for two- or three-hinge systems.

The third option, the category of lateral compensators, is associated with flow redirection by a right angle in single-plane or multi-plane piping systems. The typical practice is to install these expansion joints in existing 90-degree redirections in these piping systems. The movement of this expansion joint consists of the required lateral movement and a small axial movement from the unit.

To learn more, contact Sudbury International.

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