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How to specify the location of thermal expansion joints in pipes?

Any metal will expand due to temperature chang, for straight pipes expansion joints to be added, how to specify location ?

Public Comments

1. How much play can you build the joints to withstand? 1 cm, 10 cm? Design you joint separation length based on the pipes expanding within a 50 Celsius temperature range. If you intend to operate the pipes at higher temperatures, add 50 C to the maximum temperature (in C), and design the separation length off of that temperature variation. 50 C is kind of arbitrary. Use your knowledge of weather and other operating conditions to know the real variation in temperature.
2. The expansion joints are usually located in a straight run of piping, with supported pipe guides or anchors located on the piping, but near each end of the expansion joint to guide and support the piping. The distances between guides, supports and anchors depends upon the amount of expansion that the the pipe will be subjected to, and the capacityof the expansion joint in either tension or compression. See the following for a simplified guide: http://www.flex-weld.com/pdf/ExpJIns.pdf For other arrangements just Google: piping expansion joint designs