Rubber expansion bellows, or moulded rubber expansion joints or flexible connectors, are components used in piping systems to absorb movement, vibrations, and misalignments between connected sections. These bellows come in various materials, such as natural rubber, neoprene, or nitrile rubber, which provide flexibility and resilience.
The primary function of rubber expansion bellows is to absorb vibrations and shocks within a piping system. They are crucial in preventing stress, fatigue, and damage to the piping and associated equipment due to movements caused by temperature variations, pressure fluctuations, or dynamic forces.
Rubber expansion bellows suit various industrial applications, including HVAC systems, power plants, chemical plants, and pipelines, where the flexibility of the joints helps maintain the integrity of the overall system. These bellows come in different designs, such as axial, lateral, and angular, to accommodate specific movement requirements in different directions.
In summary, rubber expansion bellows act as flexible connectors in piping systems, providing a reliable solution to accommodate movements and maintain the stability of the overall infrastructure.
Our UK-stocked rubber expansion bellows or Moulded rubber bellows are available in a range of diameters, starting from 25mm and going up to 600mm.
Our rubber expansion bellows come with mild or stainless steel spinning flanges, and to match any flange table or non-standard drilling, we can bespoke machine flanges to suit your requirements. In addition, we offer bellows with mild steel female union end fittings that are 200mm long for bore sizes up to 50mm.
Our standard stock flanged expansion bellows have overall lengths of 130mm and 150mm, but we can offer custom lengths upon request.
Manufacturers typically mark Nitrile Rubber bellows with a ‘yellow spot’ or ‘yellow band.’ EPDM with a ‘red spot’ or ‘red band.’ Viton has a ‘purple spot’ or ‘purple band’, and Hypalon has a ‘green spot’ or ‘green band.’
Our products are sturdy, versatile, designed precisely to ensure optimal performance, and UK-stocked for fast dispatch, reducing your breakdowns on site. For added strength, we provide the option of tie bars for each below. If you require non-standard flanges, we can accommodate these and offer them upon request.
Hand-fabricated rubber bellows will be more suitable where no standard sizes are suitable for your on-site application. You can find more information here.
