Reference for Expansion Joints 1

[Tioch]

Recently, I've been working on my first major pipe support and expansion joint project for work and I've run into a rather considerable snag. I was wondering if anyone knew of a reference/etc. that can instruct me on how to calculate for design movement (in), misalignment (in), and max spring rates for an expansion joint in a piping system. If anyone could perhaps give me some help in finding a useful text on this, point me in the direction of where this information can be found, or just give me a good explanation of the aforementioned values, it would help me greatly. Thanks

 

[NozzleTwister]

You'll find a wealth of information at these sites.

EJMA - Expansion Joint Manufacturers Association, Inc.

http://ww3.ejma.org/index.htm

Expansion Joint Systems, Inc.

http://www.ejsus.com/

Senior Flexonics Pathway

http://www.myej.com

Good luck,

NozzleTwister
Houston, Texas

 

[Resercher]

There are two types of expansion joints

1) Building expansion joint usually on big building. This expansion is very easy because it is given in the structure calculations

2) For you to calculate the expansion of a pipe you need two things:

TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE AND
COEFICIENT OF EXPANSION OF THE MATERIAL

For exapmple:
In the case of a chilled water system the Temperature difference is the ambient temperature say 36 Deg Celcius before the system starts and the chilled water temperature say 7 Deg Celcius (after the system starts).

The pipe expansion depends on type of pipe material. The expansion of steel pipe is different from the PVC and different from polypropelene. The expansion coeficients together with the expansion formulaes are given in the ASRAE Book.

 

[JohnBreen]

I would recommend that you choose an EJ manufacturer and request specific data for their products as they apply to your application. As Nozzle Twister points out, EJMA Standards were written by the more creditable manufacturers and if you look at the site given by Nozzle Twister you can get a listing of those manufacturers:

American BOA, Inc. P.O. Box 1301, Cumming, GA 30028
Phone: 800-856-4580 Fax: 770-889-0661

Badger Industries, Inc. 100 Badger Drive, Zelienople, PA 16063
Phone: 724-452-4500 Fax: 724-452-0802

Expansion Joint Systems, Inc. 10035 Prospect Avenue, Suite 202, Santee, CA 92071
Phone: 619-562-6083 Fax: 619-562-0636

Flexider Corso Romania, 501/24 - 10156 Torino Italy
Phone: + (39).011.2627.111 Fax + (39).011.2620904

Hyspan Precision Products, Inc. 1685 Brandywine Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91911
Phone: 619-421-1355 Fax: 619-421-1702

Idrosapiens S.r.l. Strada Volpiano 49 - 10040 Leinì (Torino)
Italy
Phone: +(39) 011.9986.900 Fax: +(39) 011.9973.586

Microflex, Inc. 1800 N. US Highway 1, Ormond Beach, FL 32174
Phone: 386 -677-8100 Fax: 386-672-7623

Senior Flexonics Inc. Pathway Division
New Braunfels Facility: 2400 Longhorn Industrial Drive, New Braunfels, TX 78130
Phone: 800-847-5746 Fax: 830-629-6899
Oak Ridge Facility: P.O. Box 3027 - 115 Franklin Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
Phone: 615-483-7444 Fax: 615-482-5600

U.S. Bellows, Inc. 3701 Holmes Road, PO Box 34506, Houston, TX 77051
Phone: 713-731-0030 Fax: 713-731-8640

WahlcoMetroflex, Inc. 29 Lexington Street, Lewiston, ME 04240
Phone: 207-784-2338 Fax: 207-784-1338

Witzenmann GmbH Oestliche Karl-Friedrich-Str. 134 D-75175 Pforzheim Germany
Phone: 011-49-7231-581-0 Fax: 011-49-7231-581-820

Regarding pipe supports (hangers). Look for the Anvil-Grinnell web site and you will find that they have a complete set of catalogs online that you can download. The catalogs will have all the spring rate data that you need. They also have a design manual. Also, if you need to make AutoCAD drawings, Anvil-Grinnell's site has downloadable AutoCAD file of all the hanger items in the catalogs.

Welcome to the magic world of piping engineering.

Regards, John.

 

[joeswoes]

If you need PTFE joints,

http://www.ethylene.com

has all the data required.