A Review on Application of Bellows Expansion Joints and Effect of Design Parameters on System Characteristics

Objectives: A bellows expansion joint is an assembly of two or more bellows which help to tackle expansion or contraction in the system where it is designed to fit in. It was found, various independent researchers did lot of research in the design and geometry of bellows expansion joint but a review of all is scare, we have put forth the different possible features of bellows design in this paper. Methods/Analysis: The bellows, consisting of one or more convolutions, are designed to offer further agility in the configuration of piping structures and pressure vessel applications involving thermal expansion and relative movement in system. Numerous researchers have conducted studies on bellows expansion joints with the help of standards such as ASME and EJMA. They have wide applications and are understood as a significant. Thus various parameters pertaining to the design of bellows expansion joints, which affect the characteristics of the system, have been reviewed. Findings: From this review, it can be said that for all the design condition, there was not bellow geometry or design parameters are superior. Under such designs based on the standards, it is expected to perform exhaustive analysis involving sound engineering judgment. Meanwhile, the choice of bellows expansion joint is sufficiently broad depending upon the applications. Improvement: Certainly there is still room for new design principles and analysis based on analytical, experimental and FEA studies. Particularly, study of bellows subjected to torsions may be done as little is found in the literature and the existing standards.