Failure of Expansion Joint Bellows Liner

[Bambie]

At our plant we have a 72”dia stainless steel bellows assembly in an exhaust equalizing line between two turbine condensers (please see attachment).

Without any significant change in process flows, vibrations levels are increasing.

We suspect the liner may be compromised.

Does anyone know of any means to detect and quantify liner degradation while in service?

 

[MikeHalloran]

Thanks; that makes sense.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[Latexman]

Bambie,

Maybe a short post in forum286 with a link to this post may get a good response from a different, relevant audience.

I initially thought forum815 may be good too, but it does not have a long history or much traffic, and it tends to focus on disasterous mistakes/results. Take a look and see what you think.


Good luck,
Latexman

Technically, the glass is always full - 1/2 air and 1/2 water.

 

[racookpe1978]

Sorry, but my experience can give you little help: I have replaced similar 8 foot dia bellows between plant condensers, and have worked with 10 ft dia metal bellows below trubines, but that work involved complete replacement of the bellows with a manufacturer-built spare, not individual weld repair or replacement of single bellow element.

It is not as easy as it appears. Particularly with respect to preserving the bellows assembly fro failure through movement/distortion as it is being lifted from the box, rotated, kept from "bulging" or compressing as it is inserted into place, and rewelded distortion free.

 

[Bambie]

Thanks Latexman, I have left a post there.