Houston, TX, USA, 7/02/01: Sweco Fab, Inc., the ASME fabrication shop of Piping Technology & Products, Inc., specially designed and fabricated a 92-inch I.D. toroidal bellow expansion joint for an ASME "U" stamp heat exchanger shell.

Sweco Fab was called upon to complete the job due to the bellow’s toroidal shape. The toroidal shape gives the bellow the unique ability to carry high pressures; conversely, it also permits modest deflection ability.

Figure 1: The 92" toroidal expansion joint, fabricated by Sweco Fab, Inc., being hydrotested.		Figure 2: Completed 92" I.D. toroidal bellows expansion joint designed at 400 psig at 500° F.

The expansion joint was designed for 400 psig at 500° F and an extension stroke of 5/16" and the bellows element was fabricated from .060" Inconel 600 with A-516 gr 70 weld ends. The 92-inch toroidal expansion joint was also designed per ASME Sec. VIII rules as well as the Expansion Joint Manufacturer EJMA Standards. Upon fabrication completion, hydrotest was conducted at 600 psig to detect leaks.