Heat exchanger expansion bellow

[Mandalore]

Hi Everyone!

I suppose that my question will be very easy for experienced engineers, but I would like to ensure myself:

Could somebody explain my how it is, that the fixed tube sheet heat exchanger equipped with the expansion joint (thin wall bellow) does not break between the saddles exactly in bellow point?

Distributed load acting on the shell could be really significant in the large heat exchangers but anyway the bellows are used and of course it works. Is it really possible to locate the expansion joint exactly in zero bending moment point?

Every information will be very helpful for me.

 

[SnTMan]

Mandalore, possible to locate at zero bending moment, but rarely done in my experience. Other factors generally dictate where the EJ falls. Stiffness of the tubes is largely what makes it work.

I did have a couple of stacked units one time with supports offset. Lower unit EJ blew up at hydro. Subsequent figuring showed top unit imposed a moment upon the lower unit with maximum at, you guessed it, the EJ location.

Worth a look, especially for oddball installations.

Regards,

Mike

The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand

 

[Mandalore]

Mike, thank you very much for your help.

Regards,
Dawid