The Necessity of Expansion Joints in Piping Systems

Pipes carry many types of fluids including liquids and gases from one location to another. Piping systems are often designed for extreme high or low temperatures. However, both hot and cold applications will expand and contract with an increase or decrease in temperature. Installing expansion joints in a piping system prevents thermal expansion from creating high stresses that could cause cracking welds, bending pipes and failing anchors. Composition and Function: Expansion joints are constructed with metal bellows or Teflon, end fittings and accessories such as flow liners, tie rods, and protective shrouds. Most expansion joints are made up of several coils designed to withstand the internal pressure of the system. The common bellows assembly is positioned to flex under the thermal movement of the connected piping. Expansion joints are able to absorb any longitudinal loads as a result of extreme flexibility. To maintain the overall stability of the whole piping system while transferring longitudinal loads, it is necessary to install piping anchors and guides. Thermal Expansion and Placement: Pipes are not an exception when it comes to expansion and contraction with hot and cold temperatures. Piping engineers are able to determine the rate of expansion resulting from the materials and temperatures used for the specific application. After the amount of expansion is known, locations of expansion joints, anchors and guides can be determined and installed. If you are considering expansion joints for a piping system and need assistance with selection or ordering, contact our team at MKS. We can help you with your next project and have most items delivered in 24 hours or less.