Fabric and Metal Expansion Joints
​
Fabric expansion joints or compensators are vital components in most industrial plants. They are installed as the flexible element in duct and piping systems to accommodate thermal expansion, vibration and misalignment. Selecting the right expansion joints for your plant or system is most important to ensure reliable operation with minimal breakdown or gas leakage. A properly engineered and installed expansion joint will ensure uninterrupted plant performance between scheduled maintenance shutdowns. Advantages of Fabric Expansion Joints:
-
Compensates for movements in all planes simultaneously.
-
Minimal reactive forces on duct work.
-
Special insulation design ensures minimal heat loss through the expansion joint.
-
Due to internal insulation pillows outer layer surface temperatures reduce to protect site personnel during plant operation.
-
They can be installed in tight places.
-
They are easy to transport and install.
By combining different materials and taking into consideration the thermal, chemical and mechanical resistance as well as the fatigue/stress properties of the materials used we can provide the optimum solution for your application both technically and financially. Fabric Expansion Joints are typically used in:
-
Power generation plants.
-
Metal smelters
-
Sugar mills
-
Cement plants
-
Pulp and paper mills
-
Food processing
-
Petro chemical industr
Engineered Products has been involved in the design, manufacture and supply of, round and rectangular, steel, stainless steel, composite fabric, PTFE and rubber expansion joints. Also known as bellows, these flexible items are used, primarily, wherever there is a need to take up thermal expansion in ducting or piping and are also used to isolate vibrations. They are commonly found in but not limited to, plants that manufacture cement, fertilisers, sugar, paper, steel, petro chemical, oil, power and widely used in the mining and shipping industries. We are able to manufacture sizes that range from 15mm to in excess of 6 meter diameter in single or multi-ply configurations, in all the grades of stainless steel including high nickel alloy materials. All metal bellows are designed to EJMA standard and all welding conforms to the ASME IX code. The management of Sizonke Engineered Products has 15 years’ experience in the design, application engineering and supply of compensators. The staff are sent on regular approved training programmes in order to upgrade their skills. We have, over time, formed and fostered mutually beneficial partnerships, (both technical and for skills development), in order to maintain low overheads, the ability to weather economic cycles and to remain relevant within the context of the changing South African political landscape.
