Steel Pipes Expansion Loops - Design and Calculation
Steel pipe expansion loops and their importance in managing thermal expansion, and how to design and size them effectively. Key considerations, calculations, and installation tips to prevent stress and damage in piping systems.
The expansion loop is a common way to absorb temperature expansion and contraction in steel pipes. Expansion loops can be fabricated from standard pipes and elbows.
| Nominal Pipe Size (mm) | Approximate Expansion Capacity (mm) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width of Expansion Loop - w - (m) | |||||
| 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 2.5 | |
| 25 | 35 | 130 | |||
| 32 | 25 | 100 | 210 | ||
| 40 | 20 | 70 | 150 | ||
| 50 | 65 | 125 | 200 | ||
| 65 | 50 | 100 | 150 | 220 | |
| 80 | 40 | 75 | 125 | 190 | |
| 100 | 35 | 65 | 115 | 150 | |
U-Bends Expansion Compensator Calculator
Metric Units
This calculator can be used to calculate required width and height of an U-bends expansions compensator.
Imperial Units
The U-loops calculation is based on equation
w = 0.015 (dl ⋅ D)1/2 (1)
where
w = width of loop (m)
dl = α ⋅ dt ⋅ S = temperature expansion (mm)
α = temperature expansion coefficient (mm/moC)
dt = temperature change (oC)
S = length of expanding pipe (m)
D = diameter of pipe (mm)
The offset of the loop is 2 w. The length of the loop is 5 w.
Example - Steel Pipe Expansion
A 50 mm steel pipe with length 30 m is heated from 0 oC to 180 oC (typical for steam pipes pressurized to 10 bar).
The temperature expansion coefficient of the steel is 12x10-6 m/mK.
The expansion length can be calculated as
dl = (12x10-6 m/mK) (180 oC - 0 oC) (30 m)
= 0.0648 m
= 64.8 mm
The width of the loop can be calculated as
w = 0.015 ((64.8 mm) (50 mm))1/2
= 0.85 m
The "offset" of the loop (2w) is 1.71 m and the lenght of the loop (5w) is 4.27 m.
Z-Bends Expansion Compensator Calculator
Metric Units
This calculator can be used to calculate required offset in a Z-bends expansions compensator.
Imperial Units
L-Bends Expansion Compensator Calculator
Metric Units
This calculator can be used to calculate required offset in a Z-bends expansions compensator.
Imperial Units
This calculator can be used to calculate required offset in a Z-bends expansions compensator.
The L-loop calculation is based on equation
L = 0.063 (dl ⋅ D)1/2 (2)
where
L = length of loop (m)
