Metal Expansion Joint Installation and Maintenance Instructions

The calculated life cycle of metal compensators is subject to the prerequisite that the compensator is never subjected to mechanical or thermal loads exceeding the specified design data.

To obtain maximum cycle life, pressure resistance and reliability, care must be taken during transportation, storage and installation. Necessary maintenance should include taking the following recommendations.

Failure to follow the expansion joint installation instructions may reduce the service life and pressure capacity of the expansion joint, which may result in damage or, in the worst case, failure of the expansion joint or piping system.

STORAGE AND HANDLING

We recommend visual inspection of the expansion joint immediately upon receipt to ensure that it has not been damaged during shipment.

• Hanging and lifting the expansion joint. Transport devices, connecting rods, hinges or balancing rings must not be used for
• The compensator should not be lifted with slings or chains around the bellows and should not be lifted in a way that exposes the bellows to mechanical loads.
• The compensator should not be subjected to torsion during transportation and installation.
• The compensator should not be lifted. It should be stored on a flat, solid surface, in a clean and dry environment, under a roof or other rainproof cover.
• Compensators should not be stacked on top of each other or bumped against each other.
• The weight of the end fittings causes the bellows to bend, the ends should be supported using wooden supports.
• Care should be taken to avoid mechanical damage as well as damage caused by water, moisture, sand, soil, construction materials and chemicals.

SUPPORT AND PRE-TENSION DEVICES

Carrying and pre-tensioning rods will be indicated with yellow and black striped tape. These fittings MUST NOT be removed until the expansion joint is installed.

If these devices are removed prematurely, the compensator may malfunction and possibly endanger people working nearby. Additionally, premature removal may cause the compensator to not function as intended, resulting in a shortened service life or worst-case failure of the compensator.

INSTALLATION

Installation It should be done by appropriately trained and competent personnel who work in accordance with the legislation and regulations regarding occupational safety.

BEFORE INSTALLATION

The design data of the expansion joint is clearly stated. Unless specified, the compensator is not designed to compensate for installation errors in pipes and should not be used to connect them. Before the assembly of the expansion joint, it should be ensured that the expansion joint is undamaged and its steel is free of dents, damaged fittings and water marks (beginning of rust), etc. It should also be checked whether there is The following should also be checked:

• The expansion joint is free of foreign matter such as insulation materials, dirt or debris.
• The sealing surfaces on the flanges are smooth and clean.
• The space in the pipeline where the compensator will be installed is in accordance with the specified installation length of the compensator, taking into account the design tolerances.
• The connection ends of the pipeline are clean and correctly prepared for welding.
• The installation position of the compensator in the pipeline, the system in accordance with that specified by the designer.
• Expansion of the pipeline is in accordance with the design data of the expansion joint.
• Adjacent piping is installed correctly with anchors, guides and supports in place.
• The anchors are sufficient to accept the reaction forces from the expansion joint and all other piping loads.
• Only one Expansion Joint is installed between the two anchors.
• The tie rods on the Lateral Expansion Joints are correctly installed and secure.

ANchors AND GUIDES

Anchors and guides on the pipeline should be placed according to the guidelines in the EJMA so that:

• The expansion joint is not subject to dead weight loads from the pipeline.
• The pipeline does not sag between anchors or guides, “pig” or “snake” It does not.
• Drop rods or suspension rods should be avoided, guides should be of sliding or roller type.
• When using compensators, the distance should not exceed 4 times the nominal diameter of the pipeline.
• First. and the distance between the second guide should not exceed 14 times the nominal diameter of the pipeline.
• The distance between the remaining guides should not exceed 21 times the nominal diameter of the pipeline. This distance should be reduced if necessary to stabilize the pipeline.

DURING INSTALLATION

• When welding or grinding near the compensator, welding It must be protected against splashes and debris, we recommend the use of a chloride-free welding mat.
• Care should be taken to prevent accidental arcing in the thin-walled bellows in the expansion joint.
• The expansion joint should be protected from damage caused by adjacent construction works, splashes of mortar or plaster may damage the bellows and should be avoided.
• If the compensator has an internal diverter, make sure the flow arrow on the compensator points in the direction of system flow.
• When installing Angled Expansion Joints, it is important that the hinge pins are in the correct orientation.
• To align bolts on flanged units Do not apply torsion to the compensator.
• Components such as tie rods, hinge joints and gimbals should not be removed. They form part of the integrity and functionality of the expansion joint.
• Care must be taken with assembly tools to avoid damaging the bellows with spanners or wrenches when tightening the bolts.
• In flanged units, excessively long studs or bolts must not come into contact with the bellows and Take care not to damage it.
• When expansion joints are supplied without external covers and insulation is to be added, a protective cover must be fitted to prevent insulation material from becoming trapped between the bellows folds and preventing the bellows from functioning properly.

AFTER INSTALLATION

The completed system must be subjected to a visual inspection before being tested and commissioned. Many years of experience have shown that pressure testing and careful checking of the installation prior to final commissioning will help ensure successful Expansion Joint installation and performance. Prior to pressure testing and as part of the inspection, ensure that all temporary transport and pre-tensioning devices (marked with yellow and black striped tape) are disassembled.

MAINTENANCE

A correctly sized and correctly installed compensator does not require any special maintenance other than inspection for other parts of the piping system to which the compensator is installed. We recommend continuous inspection of the piping system throughout its service life. The purpose of these inspections is to check whether there is rust and whether the parts are loose. The frequency of these inspections depends on the function of the system, the loads incurred, etc. determined on an individual basis.

The above does not guarantee that damage will not occur, but it significantly reduces the risk. It may be useful to know the common causes of failures in the compensator. However, it is difficult to list all general maintenance instructions because expansion joints have a wide range of applications and many expansion joints are built for a specific application. We would like to draw your attention to the most common causes of the following malfunctions:

1. Shipping and handling damage
   • Impact-damage to the bellows caused by misuse or after compensator installation, dents, scuffs and scratches.
   • Harmful effects from the environment, such as corrosion caused by atmospheric salt, chemicals or the like.
2. Installation damage and installation errors
   • Wrong position – Installation of the compensator in the piping in an incorrect position.
   • Using the compensator to correct pipe manufacturing errors.
   • Especially lateral movements, Fatigue failure caused by movements for which the compensator was not designed.
   • Damage caused by the accumulation and compression of foreign substances between the bellows folds that may affect the bellows from the inside or outside.
   • Excessive pressure in the piping system.
   • Premature removal of transport or pre-tensioning devices or failure to remove them after installation.
   • Damage caused by weld spatter due to lack of protection during expansion joint installation.
   • Installation of expansion joints equipped with diverter against the direction of flow.
3. Operational damage
   • Corrosion damage caused by the flow medium, especially the presence of chloride.
   • Fatigue due to unpredictable vibration in the system malfunction.