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Rubber Expansion joints or Rubber bellows are primarily used to absorb noise and vibration between rotating equipment such as diesel engine pumps or chillers and pipe work. Their high flexibility also makes them suitable for compensating small installation misalignments. Rubber bellows can be used just like a metal expansion joint to compensate for axial, lateral or angular movement. As with any other unrestrained expansion joint, rubber bellows will extend under pressure. Their pressure thrust varies with length as the shape of the bellows changes, however the forces involved are just as large. The pressure thrust is calculated by multiplying the cross sectional area by the maximum pressure. To prevent the bellows from extending, the pipe work needs to be anchored. Bellows are thin walled and therefore extremely flexible, ensuring the highest degree of noise and vibration isolation. |