In gas turbines, it’s vital that a turbine’s pipe system carries exhaust gas away, downstream from the combustion reaction. This allows for further efficient combustion while safely removing these volatile gases. Expansion joints play an important role in this gas transfer. To learn the unique expansion joint challenges in gas exhaust applications, read this brief guide on the subject.
Consistently Extreme Heat
First, gas turbines create extremely high-temperature exhaust gases regularly, stressing joints in place to mitigate the effects of this heat. While you’ll find expansion joints in many different industries ranging from manufacturing to marine applications, few handle the degree of heat gas turbine systems do.
As hot gas passes through the system, it causes significant pipe expansion. While expansion joints specifically target this, extensive expansion may push joints to a literal breaking point. Not only that, but these temperature changes happen suddenly when a turbine begins its work. This causes sudden expansion, which excessively stresses the system and could cause a system failure.
Pressure Varies Widely
Not only do expansion joints experience significant heat, but they also go through wide-ranging pressure changes that correlate with this heat. Because of thermodynamic laws, gas expands as it heats up and contracts as it cools. Gas exhaust varies in temperature, meaning the gas that proceeds through pipe systems exerts irregular force on expansion joints, threatening their failure. Just as heat causes the most disruption when a turbine transitions from a cold start, sudden pressure changes during this phase also significantly threaten joint integrity.
High Vibrational Forces
An additional expansion joint challenge in gas exhaust applications is the vibrational force exhaust gases create. As these irregular gases proceed through pipes, they create successively resonating vibrations that, when extreme, can cause damage at a weak point along the pipe system. Depending on how these forces act, this could pose a hazard to surrounding expansion joints.
If your facility requires expansion joints built to handle these challenges, contact Triad Bellows. We’re expansion joint manufacturers with decades of experience to back our joint and bellows products.
