Expansion joints

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every conceivable situation

UK branch:

High quality
customized
solutions ...
Belman and John Cardwell design and manufacture
metallic expansion joints and bellows.
Expansion joints are an important component in
various industries, and found extensively in power
plants, nuclear power plants, exhaust- and engine
systems, steel plants, district heating systems,
chemical- and petrochemcal plants and steam
distribution pipe work.
An expansion joint is a flexible component which
is used to prolong the plant life by reducing stress
in pipe work as it expands and contracts. Compensators are also installed to protect sensitive
equipment such as pumps and steam turbines.
We provide high quality compensators custommade from DN 40 to DN 6000 operating at pressures
from vacuum to 110 Bar. Many designs are available:
Round and rectangular bellows.
From simple axial units to complex in-line and
corner-relief pressure-balanced
compensators.
Externally pressurised compensators.
Bellows protected by Tantal- and PTFE
where corrosion considerations dictate.
A wide range of material is used for bellows manufacture including 300 stainless steels, titanium,
high-nickel alloys such as Inconel, Incoloy,
Hastelloy, Monel etc.
All compensators covered by the requirements of
the Pressure Equipment Directive (97/23/EC) are
CE-marked and our design process includes:
Calculation according to EJMA, EN 13445,
ASME, AD 2000 or EN 14917.
CAD drawings.
3D illustrations.
Finite Element Analysis.
Discussion with clients to advise on all
aspects of compensator design and
application.
Non-destructive testing is carried out according to
project requirements, this includes: Radiographic
examination of welds, hydrostatic pressure testing,
air leak and air jet testing, helium leak testing, dye
penetrant examination, ultrasonic testing, magnetic
particle examination and positive material identification (PMI).
From your detailed specifications or basic information about your requirement we will work with you
to design the optimum compensator solution. We
will give advice on compensator type, its location
in the pipe work and all installation requirements.

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Always
a solution for you
All in one
Design and manufacture of metallic expansion
joints is the core competence of our companies,
as a total provider of flexible solutions we also
supply:

Fabric expansion joints

Metallic hose assemblies
Rubber expansion joints

Pipe work design

For our clients to be able to select the costeffective and operationally sound solutions to
expansion compensation we can, in addition to
providing advice on compensator selection and
application, assist with pipe work design and
stress analysis (FEA). This service is offered in
association with a cooperative partner with great
experience in this field. Pipe design and stress
analysis is carried out using among others
Rohr2, Cesar and Ansys software.

We have a site team of skilled welders to carry

out such work, the team is experienced, familiar
with site working and complying with site safety
procedures.

On-site installation services

Inspection

Installation of metallic expansion joints and in

particular clamshell repair bellows requires
skilled and experienced installation staff.
Often clients prefer that the manufacturer carries out such installation work to avoid errors
and focus responsibility on a single source.

Our site people undertake inspection of existing

compensators.
Inspection reports are provided with comments
on the condition of the units together with any
recommendations for improvements, repairs or
remedial action including planning for replacement compensators.

Refurbish / repair existing

compensators
Our clients often ask us to bring existing
compensators back to an as-new condition
by removing the existing bellows elements and
replacing with new.
This practice allows the cost of manufacturing
new pipe work components and any restraining structure to be avoided. It is often used as a
fast solution to get the plant back on line quickly
when a bellows element in a compensator has
reached the end of its life.

Assistance with compensator

applications
We are always pleased to discuss the specification, design, manufacture and use of our
equipment to establish the optimum solutions to
problems. Where this requires discussion at site
or at our clients offices we are pleased to visit
and make recommendations.

A strong connection
The combined experience of Belman and John
Cardwell in the field of expansion joint design
and manufacture is over 42 years. During this
period many compensator projects have been
successfully completed and many customers
have been satisfied with the products, services
and technical support provided. Both companies are strong and preferred brands globally.
The combination of the resources of the two
companies brings even greater strength to each
companys ability to provide the best solutions
to customer requirements.
Belman acquired John Cardwell in 2008, since
then the companies have joined forces but each
still operates as and individual entity for the
benefit of its customers. Before the acquisition
Belman and John Cardwell were cooperative
partners, the synergy between the companies
was recognised through this cooperation and
when Belman had the opportunity to buy John
Cardwell they did so. The combination of the
companies strengthens each ones ability to
bring the most appropriate and cost-effective
solutions to its customers.
Belman has a production area of 5 300m2 with
a lifting capacity of 30 tonnes and only transport logistics limit the available size of finished

compensators. John Cardwell has a facility of

2200 m2 and together the companies employ a
highly-skilled workforce of around 125 people.
Together we manufacture metallic bellows using
rolling, punching and hydraulic forming techniques.

Assured-quality
expansion joints
Belman and Cardwell hold various certificates:
DS/EN ISO 9001:2000
BS / EN / ISO 2001:2000
UKAS
PED 97/23/EC Module H
EN 3834
AD2000 HP0
GOSR-R
Russian Permission for application
within hazard industries
Mark transfer approval within
EN 10204 3.1.B PED/AD-M W
Standard type approvals from
Germanischer Lloyd
Standard type approvals from
Bureau Veritas.
Belman is a member of EURO-QUALIFLEX
and is registred in Achilles JQS.

References

Customized solutions
Power plant
These red corner relief expansion joints are
installed in a power plant in Sweden, this type of
compensator is installed at a suitable change of direction in the pipe work. The unit shown is suitable
for combined axial and lateral movements, if axial
movement only is required then the two bellows at
the line side can be replaced by a single bellows.
As the pipe expands the axial movement is taken
up by equal compression of the two bellows and a
corresponding total extension of the balance bellows, lateral movement is absorbed by equal and
opposite angular rotation of the line bellows.
Dimension: NB 1400
Built-in length: 7574 mm.
Medium: Steam.
Design temperature: 200C.
Design pressure: Full vacuum/2,0 bar.

Pantographic gimbal for

district heating
35 expansion joints, like the picture shows, were
supplied with up to four bellows and pantographic
gimbal for a district heating pipeline in France.
More bellows allow the absorption of very large
movements but in order to ensure uniform running
of the bellows and thus equal absorption of movements pantographic gimbal have been mounted.
In this way it can be avoided that some bellows
absorb larger movements than others and wear out
prematurely. The large number of bellows leads to
instability, which the pantographic gimbal cannot
compensate for, but the construction of the pipeline
brings about a stabilisation of the expansion joint.
This is due to the fact that it has been possible to
place Teflon sliding blocks between the two pipes,
which add stability to the expansion joints.
Dimension: NB 900 and NB 1000
Built-in length: 1370 to 1670 mm.
Medium: Air.
Design temperature: 120C.
Design pressure: -1/1 bar.

Nuclear power station

These gimbal expansion joints are installed in the
secondary system in a nuclear power station in
Switzerland. The expansion joints are designed
and manufactured according to Swiss national
standards.
Dimension: NB 150
Built-in length: 300 mm.
Medium: Water
Design temperature: 100C.
Design pressure: 6 bar.
Coal fired power station
High Pressure Heater Bled Steam Bellows are
installed in a coal fired power station. The compensators are installed between heater and boiler.
The bellow is made of Incoloy 825 to avoid stress
corrosion and the compensator has a customized
thermal shield inside in stainless steel. The bellows
are internally and externally pressurized.
Dimension: NB 225
Built-in length: 340 mm.
Medium: Steam.
Design temperature: 377C.
Design pressure: 5 bar.

Exhaust system
These expansion joints are installed near the
engine in the exhaust system on a FREMM
Fregat ship. The expansion joint will absorb
axial and lateral movement.
Dimension: NB 500
Built-in length: 600 mm
Medium: Design temperature: 550C
Design pressure: 1 bar

Exhaust system
This expansion joint is installed near the engine in
an exhaust system on a ship. The expansion joint
is supplied as an OEM part, which explains the
special flanges. These flanges are special as they
must fit the counter flanges of the engine.
Dimension: NB 150
Built-in length: 66 mm
Medium: Design temperature: 700C
Design pressure: 1 bar

Chemical industry
This Gimbal expansion joint is installed at a chemical plant in South Africa. During shutdown the
plant was in urgent need of new expansion joints.
Belmans fast tracks service resulted short time of
delivery. Before dispatch the expansion joints was
among others pressure tested for 150 bar.
Dimension: NB 300
Built-in length: 800 mm
Medium: Design temperature: 120C
Design pressure: 100 bar

Customized solutions
Steel plant

Oil refinery

This 12,5 tonnes heavy customized solution is

installed near the blast furnace at a steel plant in
Germany. The pipes for the blast furnace is placed
in the height of 30 meters and the compensator is
installed ahead of the pipe bend in the horizontal
pipe. Here it absorbs lateral and angular movements together with a smaller expansion joint.
On top of the pipeline a footbridge is placed. The
manhole on top of the large compensator is an
inspection hole. Through that the inspection people
can get access to the internal part of the pipeline
during inspections.

These refractory lined expansion joints are installed

at an oil refinery. The need for these compensators
has occurred in connection with modernization of a
FCC unit. Compensators are installed at one of the
flue gas channels going from the FCC reactor and
have similar technical characteristics apart from the
length. All compensators were pre-stressed.
Dimension: NB 1900
Built-in length: From 450 to 500 mm.
Medium: Flue gas.
Design temperature: 650 to 1000C.
Design pressure: 0,01 bar.
Lining: Golit 135R light weight
Insulation: Super wool n607 HT

Dimension: NB 2200
Built-in length: 6930 mm.
Medium: Blast furnace gas.
Design temperature: 300C.
Design pressure: 2,2 bar.

Chemical industry
These chamber compensators are installed at an
asphalt manufacturer in France. Asphalt is difficult
to keep flowing; therefore the temperature has to
be very high. The compensator is a double compensator where the asphalt is running in the inner
chamber, while hot oil runs in the outer chamber. In
that way the asphalt is kept hot and flowing through
the compensator.

Steam turbine
Two 6,3 tonnes heavy corner relief expansion joints
like this one are installed in a steam turbine in
Singapore. The compensators is installed between
the turbine and the condenser.

Dimension: NB 125 and NB 175

Built-in length: 365 mm and 232 mm.
Medium: Asphalt (Bitumen).
Design temperature: 200C.
Design pressure: 6 bar.

Dimension: NB 2000
Built-in length: 5500 mm.
Medium: Steam.
Design temperature: 250C.
Design pressure: Full vacuum/1 bar.

Project highlights
These project highlights and their satisfied customers
might explain why you should also chose us:

Solving unacceptable
maintenance and down time

Fast track service

A train manufacturer had problems with exhaust gas

expansion compensators that kept breaking and
constantly required replacement.

An oil refinery had a leaking expansion joint. Within

24 hours we had designed, manufactured and dispatched a new expansion joint. The system was restored to its full operating capacity shortly afterwards.

Advice
We worked with a steel plant to advice on a compensators design and positioning, as a result of our
discussions with the client a costly unscheduled shut
down of the plant was avoided.

Full scale documentation

National regulations resulted that full scale documentation was required for a nuclear power station
in Sweden. Belman collected comprehensive and
needed documentation, test reports etc for the satisfaction of the customer.

This proved to be time consuming and expensive,

but also posed a health risk to people near the moving trains. After design, prototyping, on-vehicle testing then finally approval for full scale manufacture,
we have solved our clients problem. The units are
now in service and are proving to be living up to the
clients expectations.

Help on installation
A steel plant needed a repair unit for a leaking bellow. Our installation team fitted an oversize clamshell
bellows around the leaking bellow, the problem was
solved and without any cost full down-time at all.

Compensator technology worldwide

Belman and John Cardwell are bringing solutions to customers
within all kinds of industries throughout the world.
These customers are serviced via our network of partners,
own sales people and offices around the globe.
For information on Belman and John Cardwell partners worldwide,
please contact us at belman@belman.dk or +45 7515 5999

ISO 9001 REGISTERED

DNV Certification BV

013

Belman Production A/S

Oddesundvej 18
6715 Esbjerg N
Denmark
T: +45 7515 5999
F: +45 7515 5959
www.belman.dk

John Cardwell Limited

Buildbase Way
Bird Hall Lane, Cheadle Health
Stockport, Cheshire
SK3 0SB
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0) 161 491 5515
F: +44 (0) 161 491 2354
www.john-cardwell.co.uk